Business Immigration Insights

Effective today, August 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of State’s 12-month Visa Bond Pilot Program becomes permanent, as widely expected.  The list of nations subject to the requirement still stands at 50, but the final rule allows DOS to add countries with 15 days’ notice or remove countries with immediate effect.

In our article, Citizens of Almost 40 Countries Must Pay $5,000-15,000 Bond for U.S. Visitor Visas Under Pilot Program, we reported in detail on the State Department’s visa bond pilot program.

People from dozens of countries who apply for U.S. visitor visas between January and August this year may be surprised to learn they will have to post high-dollar bonds and will get only short-term visas.