The United States government has officially launched a new visa bond pilot program, requiring certain short-term visitors to post a refundable bond as a condition for obtaining a B-1/B-2 visa—designated for business and tourism—embarking on a 12-month trial set to run from August 20, 2025, until August 5, 2026.
Under this initiative, consular officers will impose bond requirements ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, determined on a case-by-case basis during the visa interview. Travelers seeking B-1/B-2 visas from countries identified by the Department of State as having high visa overstay rates, weak vetting systems, or Citizenship-by-Investment schemes—where citizenship is granted without residency—are subject to this pilot.
For the moment, only two countries—Malawi and Zambia—have been included in the list of affected nations, based on data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Fiscal Year 2023 Overstay Report. Malawi reported overstay rates of 14.32% by land and 4.17% by air or sea for B-1/B-2 visas, while Zambia exceeded a 10% rate. Indian nationals, by comparison, have experienced significantly lower overstay statistics—with only a 1.58% overall rate and a modest 1.29% overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas in 2023.
The bond is fully refundable, provided travelers comply with visa conditions. Refunds are issued automatically if visitors depart on or before their designated date, refrain from using the visa before its expiration, or are denied entry upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry.
The pilot—framed by the Administration as a measure to curb visa overstays and ensure immigration integrity—marks a significant shift in U.S. visa policy, reviving a similar 2020 proposal that was never implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of State has emphasized that the bond requirement may change over time, with countries added to the list at least 15 days after announcement.
This initiative coincides with additional immigration tightening, such as the introduction of a $250 “visa integrity fee” under the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Moreover, critics and travel industry groups warn that requiring bonds of thousands of dollars could stifle inbound tourism and business mobility—potentially being “one of, if not the highest, visitor visa fees in the world”.
For now, Indian nationals remain unaffected by the bond mandate, but experts urge vigilance. Immigration attorneys and mobility managers note the precedent this sets and point out that with only 15 days’ notice, additional countries—including those with currently low overstay rates—could be added swiftly. Especially for frequent travelers, posting such bonds—even though refundable—could tie up significant capital, creating cash-flow challenges while the refund process is pending.
As the program unfolds, Indian travelers are encouraged to monitor official updates—especially from the U.S. Department of State and the Federal Register—to stay informed about possible changes that may impact visa policy or financial requirements in the near future
