WASHINGTON, August 5, 2025 — The U.S. State Department is preparing to launch a one-year Visa Bond Pilot Program, starting August 20, 2025, that may require select foreign nationals applying for B‑1 (business) or B‑2 (tourist) visas to post a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000, or up to $15,000. The program is a renewed effort under President Donald Trump’s administration to tighten immigration enforcement and reduce visa overstays.
The pilot specifically targets applicants from countries with:
- High rates of visa overstays
- Insufficient screening or identity verification practices
- Citizenship‑by‑investment programs with no residency requirements
While the final list of participating countries has not yet been published, reports suggest it may include nations such as Chad, Eritrea, Myanmar, Haiti, Yemen, Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo. This list will be announced at least 15 days before the program takes effect, with updates notified similarly.
💰 How It Works
- Consular officers decide if a bond is necessary and determine the amount based on the applicant’s circumstances.
- The default expectation is a $10,000 bond for adults ($5,000 for children), although discretion exists to set the bond at $5,000 or $15,000 based on financial capacity or risk assessment.
- Applicants must pay the bond via Form I‑352 through the Treasury Department’s online system (Pay.gov) within 30 days of their visa interview.
- Visas under this pilot are valid for one single entry and expire within three months, allowing a maximum U.S. stay of 30 days. Assigned designated ports of entry will signal to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that the bond condition applies.
🔄 Refund Mechanics
If the traveler:
- Complies with all visa conditions,
- Departs before authorization expires (or files a timely extension/change of status request),
then the full bond is refunded. If DHS finds a violation, the bond is forfeited. No interest is paid on refunded bonds.
👥 Scope & Economic Impact
- The pilot is expected to affect around 2,000 applicants, primarily from smaller countries with low volumes of travel to the U.S.
- Critics—including the U.S. Travel Association—warn that the policy and an additional $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” (effective October 1) may deter legitimate tourism and harm the U.S. travel sector.
- Observers like the Cato Institute argue the bond requirement is “draconian,” claiming it will disproportionately burden families, deter visits, and strain diplomatic ties.
🧾 Historical Context
This new initiative revives a previously proposed pilot from late 2020, which was delayed and ultimately not implemented due to the global travel disruptions caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic. It is tied to Executive Order 14159, issued Jan 20, 2025, that directed federal agencies to pursue visa bond systems to bolster immigration enforcement.