New Visa Bond Requirement for Certain B-1/B-2 Visa Applicants

The U.S. Department of State (DoS) has announced a pilot visa bond program that will require certain nationals applying for B-1 or B-2 visitor visas to post a financial bond as a condition of visa issuance. Nationals of impacted countries who are otherwise found eligible for a B-1/B-2 visa, may be required to pay a refundable bond through the Department of Treasury’s online platform, Pay.gov on or after the implementation date for their respective country. 

The bond amount of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 will be determined by a consular officer during the visa interview, and will be automatically refunded if the visa-holder timely departs the US, if they do not travel before the visa expiration, or if admission is denied at the port of entry. 

Individuals subject to the visa bond are required to enter and exit the U.S. through one of the designated ports of entry. 

At this time, the pilot program is only applicable to B-1/B-2 visa applicants, and does not apply to F-1, J-1, H-1B or other non-immigrant categories. More information about this update is available on the Department of State website and on Fragomen’s website.