The United States has made its visa bond programme permanent for certain short-term visa applicants from 50 countries, requiring eligible travellers to pay a refundable bond of up to $20,000 before receiving a B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visa. However, India is not among the countries covered under the programme, meaning Indian applicants are not affected by the new requirement.

The US State Department said the decision follows a review of the pilot programme, which found that the visa bond system helped reduce visa overstays. Under the permanent framework, applicants from the designated countries may be required to deposit a refundable bond of up to $20,000 as a condition for obtaining a visa. The amount will be refunded if travellers comply with the terms of their visa and leave the United States within the authorised period. Applicants whose visa requests are denied will also receive a refund.

The revised rule replaces the earlier pilot programme, under which consular officers could impose bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. The new framework removes the $5,000 option and increases the maximum bond amount to $20,000. The programme was first introduced by the Trump administration in August last year as part of broader efforts to curb visa overstays and strengthen immigration enforcement.

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According to the State Department, nearly 45,500 visitors from the 50 participating countries overstayed their visas in 2024. During the first 10 months of the pilot programme, however, fewer than 50 overstays were recorded among applicants who were required to post a visa bond. Countries covered under the programme include Bangladesh, Nepal, Algeria, Venezuela, Georgia, Zimbabwe and Senegal.

The State Department said it expects the permanent rule to further reduce demand for B-1 and B-2 visas from nationals of countries included in the programme. Although the department had initially estimated that around 2,000 applicants would be affected, the pilot eventually covered approximately 20,000 people. Nearly half of the eligible applicants chose not to pay the bond, contributing to a sharp decline in the number of business and tourist visas issued to citizens of the participating countries.

While critics argue that the policy could place an additional financial burden on travellers from developing nations, US officials maintain that the programme is aimed at reducing visa overstays and strengthening compliance with immigration rules. For Indian citizens applying for B-1 or B-2 visas, the existing visa process remains unchanged, as India is not included in the list of affected countries.

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