The United States government continues to tighten the country’s entry as it adds 25 more countries to its list of nations whose citizens could be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for entry into the country.
Under the Visa Bond requirement, which is part of efforts by the US government to prevent visa overstays, citizens of the affected countries are required to pay a bond of either $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, starting January 21, 2026.
The amount travellers end up paying is determined during visa interviews and does not guarantee that a visa will be granted to travel to the US.
“Any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined at the time of the visa interview. The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352. Applicants must agree to the terms of the bond through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of place of application.
Applicants should submit Form I-352 to post a bond only after a consular officer directs them to do so. Applicants will receive a direct link to pay through Pay.gov. They must not use any third-party website for posting the bond. The U.S. government is not responsible for any money paid outside of its systems,” part of a statement shared on the US State Department website reads.
Know all the 19 African countries affected by US visa suspension from January 1, 2026
It added, “A bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If someone pays fees without a consular officer’s direction, the fees will not be returned.”
Only 13 countries were initially on the list of countries whose citizens required a visa bond, which brings the total to 38 following the addition of the 25 countries.
The list mostly includes countries from Africa, Latin America, and South Asia.
Below are the countries on the visa bond list
– Algeria (January 21, 2026)
– Angola (January 21, 2026)
– Antigua and Barbuda (January 21, 2026)
– Bangladesh (January 21, 2026)
– Benin (January 21, 2026)
– Bhutan (January 1, 2026)
– Botswana (January 1, 2026)
– Burundi (January 21, 2026)
– Cabo Verde (January 21, 2026)
– Central African Republic (January 1, 2026)
– Cote D’Ivorie (January 21, 2026)
– Cuba (January 21, 2026)
– Djibouti (January 21, 2026)
– Dominica (January 21, 2026)
– Fiji (January 21, 2026)
– Gabon (January 21, 2026)
– The Gambia (October 11, 2025)
– Guinea (January 1, 2026)
– Guinea Bissau (January 1, 2026)
– Kyrgyzstan (January 21, 2026)
– Malawi (August 20, 2025)
– Mauritania (October 23, 2025)
– Namibia (January 1, 2026)
– Nepal (January 21, 2026)
– Nigeria (January 21, 2026)
– Sao Tome and Principe (October 23, 2025)
– Senegal (January 21, 2026)
– Tajikistan (January 21, 2026)
– Tanzania (October 23, 2025)
– Togo (January 21, 2026)
– Tonga (January 21, 2026)
– Turkmenistan (January 1, 2026)
– Tuvalu (January 21, 2026)
– Uganda (January 21, 2026)
– Vanuatu (January 21, 2026)
– Venezuela (January 21, 2026)
– Zambia (August 20, 2025)
– Zimbabwe (January 21, 2026)
BAI
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