The U.S. State Department plans to make its visa-bond program permanent on Monday, August 3, according to a draft Federal Register notice reviewed by The Associated Press.

The program applies to B-1 and B-2 business and tourist visa applicants using passports from 50 listed countries, most of them in Africa. Nigeria is among the countries currently covered.

Under the draft final rule, the available bond amounts would be $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, replacing the pilot program’s $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000 tiers. A consular officer determines whether an otherwise eligible applicant must post a bond and at what level.

The bond does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. The State Department says it is returned if an application is denied, if the visa holder follows the conditions of admission and leaves on time, or if the person does not travel before the visa expires.

The government says fewer than 50 people from the covered countries overstayed during the first 10 months of the pilot, compared with nearly 45,500 in 2024. The department also said about 20,000 applicants were covered — far more than initially projected — and that issuance of business and tourist visas to nationals of listed countries fell 83%.

Applicants should not pay through third-party sites. The State Department says payment instructions are issued only after a consular officer directs an applicant to use the official Pay.gov process.

Sources: Associated Press, July 31, 2026: https://apnews.com/article/visa-bonds-permanent-us-state-department-travelers-ca7e5a540309d7cafad47ed1520b9c68 U.S. Department of State list and compliance guidance: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/countries-subject-to-visa-bonds.html