U.S. will make visa bond program permanent, affecting mostly African countries
Summary
The U.S. State Department is making a visa bond program permanent for citizens of about 50 countries, mostly in Africa. The program requires travelers to pay a refundable bond when applying for certain U.S. visas, and the maximum bond amount has increased to $20,000.Key Facts
- The visa bond program applies to citizens from around 50 countries, mainly in Africa.
- Travelers must pay a bond to apply for B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) visas.
- The bond amount can be as high as $20,000 under the new rules.
- Previously, the maximum bond was $15,000 with lower options of $5,000 or $10,000.
- The $5,000 bond option has been removed in the new rule.
- The bond is refundable if the visa is denied or if the traveler follows visa rules after approval.
- The decision to make the program permanent followed a review lasting almost a year.
- Additional countries may be added to the program in the future.
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