In order to visit the United StatesIn 2026, individuals from numerous countries will need to pay thousands of dollars for an entry visa, as outlined in recent State Department rules.
The payment system is a component of a one-year visa bond trial initiative initially introduced by the Trump administration in August 2025. The program mandates that visitors andbusiness travelers38 countries are required to make bond payments ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 in order to obtain B1 and B2 visasvisas.
During the program’s timeframe, which is set to continue until at least August 2026, the State Department has the ability to continuously include additional countries on the official visa bond list. For instance, starting on January 21, 2026, the department incorporated 25 new countries into the list, more than doubling the total number of nations subject to US visa bonds.
Here’s all the information travelers need to be aware of regarding the updated visa bond policy—ranging from how the bond refunds are processed to the airports that have been approved as entry points under the new rules.
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- Which nations are included in the visa bond pilot initiative?
- What categories of visas are impacted?
- What is the cost of the visa bonds?
- How can visa bonds be returned?
- Which airports in the United States are authorized to join the initiative?
Several countries affected by the visa bond policy are also included on the Trump administration’spartial travel ban, which significantly restricts the kinds of visas granted to individuals from those nations.
As of January 21, 2026, visa bonds are mandatory for nationals from the following 38 countries, as per theState Department’s website. Additional countries may be included or excluded from the list on an ongoing basis.
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Kyrgyz Republic
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What kinds of visas are impacted?
The policy covers all B1 and B2 visas, which are used for business, travel, or a mix of both and usually last between six months and one year. For the time being, the bonds in the pilot program will not apply tostudent visas, which may be valid for multiple years, or other visa categories.
The visa bond trial initiative is scheduled to run for 12 months, as reported by theinitial noticepublished in the Federal Register.
What is the cost of the visa bonds?
Citizens departing from the specified countries onB1 and B2 visasMust pay a visa bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 to enter the United States. The specific amount each person has to pay is decided by officials during the visa application process.
The amount of the bond that each visa applicant must provide will be “determined based on the applicant’s situation as decided by the consular officer, but it will not be less than $5,000, unless the bond requirement is waived,” according to the notice. The documents indicate that consular officers will generally be instructed to set the bond at $10,000. Applicants will receive an email from the State Department at the address they provided on their application, containing a link to pay their bond amount through the US Treasury’s pay.gov service.
How can visa bonds be returned?
Individuals who follow their visa conditions and leave the United States prior to the expiration of their visa will receive an automatic refund of the bond fee. Furthermore, those who apply for a visa and are either rejected or do not travel to the US before their visa expires will also be eligible for a bond refund. Travelers who violate the terms of their visa—such as remaining in the country beyond the authorized period—will lose the bond amount. According to data from the Department of Homeland Security, over 500,000 travelers remained in the US past the expiration of their visas in 2023.
Which American airports are part of the program?
Travelers from each of the nations included in the visa bond policy list will have to enter through one of nineairports in the USand Canada agreed to join the program: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL).
The two Canadian airports are authorized for US visa bond entries as the facilities are part of the US Customs and Border Protection’spre-clearance program, which enables tourists to finishpassportpre-departure immigration checks at certain international airports.
This narrative has been revised to include additional details since its initial release.
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