US launches pilot program requiring bond payment for business and tourist visa applicants News
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US launches pilot program requiring bond payment for business and tourist visa applicants

On Monday, the US Department of State (DOS) issued a Temporary Final Rule establishing a 12-month visa bond pilot program for visitors seeking B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas from selected countries.

Under this new rule, consular officers may require applicants to post a bond valued at $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, depending on the officer’s assessment of the applicants risk of overstaying or failing to comply to visa conditions.

Effective August 20, 2025, the program will continue until August 5, 2026. The department will publish the list of covered countries at least 15 days before the rule’s implementation and may amend it during the pilot with similar notice. B-1/B-2 visa holders from Visa Waiver Program countries are exempt, as they do not apply for visas.

Applicants required to post a visa bond must complete Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and pay through Pay.Gov. The bond is refundable if the visa holder departs the US within the terms of the visa, does not enter following visa issuance before its expiration, or if they are denied admission at port of entry. A breach, such as overstaying, forfeits the bond. The visa will be annotated, and Customs and Border Protection may generally limit admission to 30 days, even if the visa is valid for single entry within three months.

Consular officers generally will be expected to require at least $10,000 for adults, with the option to charge $5,000 if $10,000 would represent an excessive financial burden, or $15,000 where $10,000 is insufficient to assure compliance.

DOS described the pilot as diplomatic tool to encourage participating governments to improve screening, identity verification, and departure compliance among their nationals. The pilot will also allow the State, Homeland Security, and Treasury departments to assess operational feasibility of accepting and discharging bonds and determine if bond use should expand in the future.

Observers and immigration scholars note that although the pilot will affect an estimated 2,000 applicants, requiring bonds of this magnitude may create an economic barrier for travelers and potentially suppress legitimate tourism and business travel to the US.

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