Ugandans, Tanzanians and nationals from more than 40 countries will soon be required to post a visa bond of up to $15,000 (about Ksh1.9 million) before being issued a United States tourist or business visa.
According to the US Department of State, the new requirement, which targets applicants for B1/B2 visas from countries deemed high-risk for overstays and immigration violations, will be rolled out in phases between August 2025 and January 2026.
The US Department of State confirmed that nationals from the affected countries will only be granted a visa after posting a bond whose value will be set at the time of their interview.
"Any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000," the statement read.
The department further explained that the bond amount will be decided during the visa interview and that applicants must complete a special immigration bond form and make payment through an official government platform.
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"The amount is determined at the time of the visa interview. The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352. Applicants must agree to the terms of the bond through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of place of application," the statement added.
Applicants were also warned not to attempt to post the bond unless instructed to do so by a US consular officer and not to use third-party websites.
"Applicants should submit Form I-352 to post a bond only after a consular officer directs them to do so. Applicants will receive a direct link to pay through Pay.gov. They must not use any third-party website for posting the bond. The U.S. Government is not responsible for any money paid outside of its systems," the statement continued.
The department stressed that paying the bond does not guarantee that a visa will be issued and that any money paid prematurely will not be refunded.
"A bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If someone pays fees without a consular officer’s direction, the fees will not be returned," the statement further read.
It also outlined the strict conditions under which the bond would be refunded, linking repayment to compliance with immigration rules and travel timelines.
"Visa Bond terms are set on the bond form (Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352 Immigration Bonds) and on Travel.State.Gov. The bond will be canceled and the money returned if the Department of Homeland Security records the visa holder’s departure from the United States on or before the date to which they are authorized to stay in the United States, or the visa holder does not travel to the United States before the expiration of the visa, or the visa holder applies for and is denied admission at the U.S. port of entry," the statement explained.
The department added that suspected breaches of visa bond terms would be investigated and could result in the bond being forfeited.
"The Department of Homeland Security will send cases where the visa holder may have broken the visa bond terms to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This is to determine if there was a breach. It includes, but is not limited to the Department of Homeland Security records indicate that the visa holder departed from the United States after the date to which he or she is authorized to stay in the United States or the visa holder stays in the United States after the date to which he or she is authorized to do so and does not leave, or the visa holder applies to adjust out of nonimmigrant status, including claiming asylum," the statement read.
Under the new policy, visa bond holders will also be required to enter and exit the United States only through designated ports of entry.
The approved ports of entry and their respective implementation dates include Boston Logan International Airport (August 20, 2025), John F. Kennedy International Airport (August 20, 2025), Washington Dulles International Airport (August 20, 2025), Newark Liberty International Airport (January 1, 2026), and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (January 1, 2026).
Others are Chicago O’Hare International Airport (January 1, 2026), Los Angeles International Airport (January 1, 2026), Toronto Pearson International Airport (January 1, 2026), and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (January 1, 2026).
Countries affected by the new visa bond requirement include Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, and The Gambia.
Others are Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
