The US has made its visa bond programme permanent after a year-long trial period.
The pilot programme began in August last year and required citizens of 50 countries, including Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique and Lesotho to pay a bond of $5 000 (R82 570), $10 000 (R165 140) or $15 000 (R247 720) when applying for a B1/B2 visa.
The full bond would be refunded if the applicant complied with the terms of the visa and bond agreement.
A final rule issued in the US Federal Register this week makes the programme permanent for nationals of countries believed to have high visa overstay rates.
Visa applicants will now be required to post a bond of either $10 000 (R165 140), $15 000 (R247 720), or $20 000 (R330 290), based on the applicant’s circumstances as determined by the consular officer. Beginning October 1, 2027, and every seven years thereafter, the maximum bond amount will automatically adjust for inflation.
According to the US government, there were 45 488 visa overstays from the 50 participating countries in fiscal year 2024. During the first 10 months of the pilot programme, fewer than 50 overstays were recorded.
Visa issuance also declined sharply during the pilot programme. Compared with the same 10-month period a year earlier, visa issuance fell by 83% as of July 2026.
