The U.S. State Department will launch a 12-month visa bond pilot program on August 20, 2025, requiring certain foreign nationals applying for B-1 or B-2 business or tourist visas to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 to deter visa overstays, as announced in a Federal Register notice on August 5, 2025.
The program targets travelers from countries with high overstay rates or deficient screening and vetting, such as Chad, Laos, Haiti, and Congo, based on 2023 Department of Homeland Security data reporting over 500,000 suspected overstays. Bonds, refundable upon timely departure through designated ports, aim to ensure compliance without burdening the U.S. government, according to the notice. This revives a 2020 Trump administration initiative that was halted due to the pandemic.
The initiative, described as a diplomatic tool, encourages foreign governments to improve identity verification and public safety measures, with consular officers given discretion to set bond amounts based on applicants’ circumstances, per a State Department cable. Countries affected will be announced 15 days before implementation, and bonds may be waived for financial hardship.
Critics, like Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute, warn the policy could deter tourism, which generated over $200 billion in 2024, citing an 11% drop in Las Vegas visitors as evidence of potential economic fallout. The U.S. Travel Association estimates only 2,000 applicants, mostly from low-travel countries, will be affected.
The program coincides with tightened visa policies, including a $250 “visa integrity fee” effective October 1, 2025, for non-immigrant visas, potentially refundable, and new requirements for in-person interviews and social media checks, as reported by Reuters. While the State Department, via an X post on July 26, 2025, emphasized broader diplomatic priorities, no direct mention of the bond program appeared on its official handle. The pilot will test operational feasibility, informing future immigration policy.
