The United States has made permanent a programme requiring citizens of 50 countries to post a bond of up to $20,000 as part of the application process for tourist (B-2) or business (B-1) visas. The State Department announced the final rule after a pilot phase launched in 2025, part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the number of foreign nationals who remain in the country beyond the authorised period of their visas.

The bond, which can be set at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 at the discretion of the consular officer, is refundable if the visa is denied or if the traveller complies with all conditions and departs on time. The rule applies to a list of nations that is predominantly African but also includes several Caribbean and Latin American countries, such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica, as well as states in Asia and the Pacific. According to the State Department, the list may be revised in the future based on immigration and national security indicators.

During the pilot phase, the State Department recorded a sharp drop in overstay cases. In 2024, some 45,500 individuals from the 50 designated countries were reported to have remained in the United States beyond the terms of their visas. In the first ten months of the pilot programme, the number of overstays among those who posted the bond fell to fewer than 50 cases. Approximately 20,000 applicants were subjected to the bond requirement, and nearly half chose not to proceed with the payment, contributing to an 83 per cent reduction in the issuance of visitor and business visas to nationals of the affected countries.

Immigrant rights organisations and opponents of the Trump administration have criticised the permanent measure. They argue that the bond imposes a disproportionate economic burden on citizens of lower-income countries, effectively restricting access to the United States for tourism, family visits, and academic or business opportunities. Critics also warn that the programme could deepen inequalities in the visa adjudication process.

The final rule is now in effect, and the State Department has indicated that the list of countries will be reviewed periodically. The programme represents a permanent addition to the administration’s border control tools, with the potential to reshape travel patterns from the designated regions.