Washington: The United States (US) has permanently imposed a refundable financial guarantee of $10,000 to $20,000 on citizens of certain countries to obtain a visitor visa.
However, the good news in this regard is that Pakistan is not included in the list of 50 countries to which this program will apply.
According to the list published in the US Federal Register, Bangladesh and Nepal in South Asia are included in this program, while Pakistan and India are exempt from it.
Afghanistan and Iran were also not included in the list because the United States does not have normal diplomatic relations with these countries. According to the US State Department, this decision was made after a review of the pilot Visa Bond Program launched in 2025, which significantly reduced the number of overstays by citizens of participating countries after the expiration of their visas and improved compliance with US immigration laws.
Based on these results, the program has been made permanent.
According to State Department data, 45,488 people from these 50 countries overstayed their visas in 2024, while there were fewer than 50 overstays during the first 10 months of the pilot program.
Officials say the visa bond requirement has also led to a decline in visa applications, as some applicants avoid submitting a bond and do not apply on their own. Diplomatic sources have also confirmed that Pakistan is not on the list of countries to which the program will apply.
The program will apply to citizens of these countries who apply for a US B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourist) visa.
Under the new policy, US consular officers will be able to ask selected applicants for a refundable bond of between $10,000 and $20,000 before issuing a visa, if necessary.
Under the new regulations, the pilot program has been made permanent, while the maximum bond amount has been increased from $15,000 to $20,000.
In addition, the minimum bond amount of $5,000 in the pilot program has also been eliminated.
The 50 countries included in this program include 30 countries in Africa, as well as several countries in Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
According to US officials, if the visa holder leaves the United States within the specified period while complying with all the conditions, the bond amount deposited will be fully refunded.
However, in case of visa violation or overstay, this amount can be confiscated.
The State Department has clarified that the visa bond requirement will not automatically apply to all applicants from the relevant countries, but rather, after reviewing each application on an individual basis, US consular officers will decide whether it is necessary to request financial security from an applicant.
