August 3, 2026 · Program update

The U.S. Visa Bond Program is now permanent — bond amounts rise to $10,000–$20,000

On August 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of State published a final rule (91 FR 48757) making the Visa Bond Program permanent, effective immediately. The 12-month pilot that began on August 20, 2025 has ended, and the bond requirement now continues indefinitely for all 50 covered countries.

Bond amounts have increased. Consular officers now set the bond at $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 based on the applicant's circumstances — the $5,000 tier is gone. The maximum amount will adjust for inflation every seven years beginning October 1, 2027.

The permanent rule also broadens how bonds can be paid: depending on the applicant's country, the Treasury's payment platform may accept domestic ACH or wire, international wire, digital wallets, and credit or debit cards (card fees fall on whoever posts the bond). The rule expressly recognizes bonds posted by an obligor on the applicant's behalf — the obligor receives the DHS bond form and all official notices.

Visas issued under the program are valid for three months (single or multiple entry) or up to 12 months multiple entry depending on reciprocity, are annotated to show a bond was posted, and require entry and departure through commercial airports only. Countries can be added to the program on 15 days' notice and removed with immediate effect.

VisaBond continues to post bonds as the obligor under the permanent program — one upfront fee from $999 instead of locking up $10,000–$20,000 of your own money.

Countries added August 3, 2026

What this means for applicants

• At your B1/B2 visa interview, the consular officer may require a bond of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 before your visa can be issued.
• The visa stays refused under INA 221(g) until the bond is posted — the sooner it's posted, the sooner the visa can be issued.
• The bond is filed via DHS Form I-352 and paid through the U.S. Treasury's Pay.gov.
• Bond holders must enter and exit the U.S. through commercial airports; the bond is automatically cancelled when you depart on time.
• You don't have to lock up the money yourself — VisaBond posts the bond for you for a one-time fee.

Source: U.S. Department of State — Countries Subject to Visa Bonds.