US to make visa bond program permanent for people from dozens of countries

WASHINGTON, July 31 - The U.S. State Department will make permanent a visa bond program that could require applicants from 50 countries, mostly from Africa, to post bonds of up to $20,000 when seeking U.S. visas, according to a federal notice posted online on Friday.

The US plans to make a visa bond requirement permanent for citizens from 50 countries.

A draft notice published Friday in the Federal Register says a nearly year-long review "provided sufficient data" to suggest the bond program effectively enforces compliance with visa conditions, and would be made permanent.

The formal announcement is expected on Monday, coinciding with the program's permanent implementation

The Trump administration rolled out the program last August to crack down on visa overstays and as part of its broader efforts to curtail illegal migration. The government estimates that arresting and deporting visitors who have overstayed their visa costs about $18,000 per person.

The State Department is making permanent a pilot program under which citizens from 50 countries, mainly in Africa, are required to post bonds to apply for a U.S. visa, and it’s raising the cost as well, to as much as $20,000

US to make visa bond requirements permanent, affecting mostly African countries  AP News

African travellers planning trips to Spain in 2026 should check their nationality’s visa requirements carefully, as Spain applies the European Union’s common Schengen entry rules rather than maintaining a separate visa-free policy for selected African countries.