Twelve months after its experimental introduction, the United States has permanently adopted a visa bond programme requiring deposits of up to $20,000 from travellers originating in 30 African countries, Business Insider Africa reported on Monday, 3 August.
Visitors from those 30 African nations will now face significantly stricter financial requirements when applying for US business and tourism visas, after Washington formally embedded the controversial scheme into its permanent immigration framework — exactly one year after its pilot launch.
The policy, first introduced on 20 August 2025, was designed to deter visa overstays by requiring certain applicants for B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) visas from designated countries to lodge a refundable cash bond before travelling to the United States.
Initially rolled out as a one-year pilot with bond values ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, the programme is now a permanent fixture of the US immigration system.
According to a proposed notice published in the Federal Register, a review conducted over the course of the year ‘provided sufficient data’ to conclude that the visa bond scheme had effectively ensured compliance with the conditions of temporary visas, prompting the Trump administration to make it permanent.
The measure, which entered into force on Monday, 3 August 2026, raises the maximum bond from $15,000 to $20,000 and eliminates the previous $5,000 minimum. Under the new rules, eligible applicants may be required to deposit $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, depending on the assessment of a US consular officer.
The decision falls disproportionately on the African continent. Of the 50 countries currently covered by the programme, 30 are African, making Africa the most heavily affected region by one of the most far-reaching changes to US visitor visa rules in recent years.
Africa accounts for the majority of the countries subject to the scheme.
The programme applies to B-1 and B-2 visa applicants from countries identified by the US Department of State as presenting elevated risks of visa overstays or non-compliance with visa conditions.
With 30 of the 50 affected countries located in Africa, the continent bears a greater share of the burden than any other region in the world.
The new rule aims to reduce irregular stays following visa expiry, but has drawn criticism for creating prohibitively high financial barriers for legitimate travellers from developing economies.
The African countries currently subject to the visa bond requirement are: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The State Department says countries are selected on the basis of factors including high rates of B-1/B-2 visa overstays, using data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Entry/Exit Overstay Report.
The number of African countries affected could yet increase.
The permanent adoption of the programme is expected to have significant implications for African travellers — in particular business executives, investors, professionals and families seeking to visit the United States for commercial or leisure purposes.
While Washington argues that the policy is intended to curb irregular stays and strengthen immigration compliance, critics contend that requiring refundable deposits of up to $20,000 represents a substantial financial barrier for legitimate travellers from developing economies.
The new rule also grants the State Department the flexibility to add further countries to the list in the future, meaning the number of affected African nations could grow if US authorities determine that additional states meet the established criteria.
Source: Mercado / Original article: https://mercado.co.ao/eua-adoptam-a-partir-de-hoje-programa-de-caucao-de-vistos-em-permanencia/
