The U.S. State Department has announced a new 12-month pilot program that will require certain foreign nationals to post visa bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 in an effort to deter overstays and strengthen immigration enforcement.
Set to take effect from 20 August 2025, the program will apply to applicants for tourist (B-2) and business (B-1) visas from countries with historically high visa overstay rates, according to overstay data collected and published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The list of affected countries has not yet been disclosed.
Visitors who comply with the conditions of their visa will have their bond fully refunded, while those who overstay their authorised period in the U.S. will forfeit the full amount. Consular officers will determine bond values on a case-by-case basis at the time of visa approval.
Travellers under the program must also enter and depart via specific U.S. airports, which will be announced 15 days before the policy comes into force. The scheme will also apply to nationals from countries with deficient vetting procedures and to individuals who obtained citizenship through investment-based immigration programs or without satisfying physical residency requirements.
While the authority to impose visa bonds has long existed within the State Department, it has been sparingly used due to administrative and logistical concerns. The pilot is specifically intended to test whether such a program is operationally feasible and scalable, challenging the long-standing assumption that bond enforcement is “too cumbersome to be practical.”
This is not the first time the Trump administration has proposed such a policy. A similar program was drafted in 2020 but was shelved due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting collapse in international travel.
Implications for the Travel Trade
The announcement adds a new layer of complexity for travellers from flagged countries, with financial, operational, and reputational impacts likely. Agents, visa consultants, and inbound operators will need to stay alert for:
The official list of affected countries
Bond processing requirements
Guidance on refund procedures
Updated protocols for approved U.S. entry/exit airports