Effective January 21, 2026, the State Department’s B-1/B-2 Visa Bond Pilot Program now includes 25 more nations. The pilot scheme, which has been in place since August 20, 2025, requires applicants for B-1 business visitor and B-2 tourist visas to provide a visa bond. Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe are among the nations joining the program on January 21. The State Department’s temporary final rule, which established the pilot program, specifies that it will run through August 5, 2026.
In order to get a B-1/B-2 visa under the B-1/B-2 Visa Bond Pilot Program, citizens of specific nations must pay a $10,000 bond (or $5,000 or $15,000, depending on individual circumstances). If the government finds that the foreign national complied with the conditions of their visa classification in the United States and either left before the end of their permitted stay or timely and properly filed an application for an extension of stay or change of status, the entire bond amount will be returned to the foreign national.
The trial program’s visas are good for one entry into the US and three months. These visa holders will typically be admitted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for a maximum stay of 30 days. It should be noted that the following recently added nations to the Visa Bond Pilot Program are likewise subject to the current travel ban, which means that citizens of these nations—Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe—cannot be granted a B visa (even with the payment of a bond) unless they qualify for a travel ban.
Luke Bowman Law will continue to monitor and update the situation. If you have questions regarding your specific situation, feel free to contact us or book an appointment here
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Luke Bowman
The Law offices of Luke Bowman