January 21, 2026 · Program update

25 countries added to the U.S. Visa Bond Program — the largest expansion yet

On January 21, 2026, the State Department added 25 countries to the Visa Bond Program in its largest single expansion, bringing the total to 38. The additions include high-volume visa countries such as Nigeria, Venezuela, Bangladesh, Algeria, and Nepal.

Note that 14 of the 25 — including Nigeria, Venezuela, and Cuba — are simultaneously subject to a U.S. partial entry ban. Citizens of those countries generally cannot be issued a B1/B2 visa even with a bond, absent a specific exception, so the bond requirement is most relevant to the other 11 countries in this wave.

Countries added January 21, 2026

What this means for applicants

• At your B1/B2 visa interview, the consular officer may require a bond of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 before your visa can be issued.
• The visa stays refused under INA 221(g) until the bond is posted — the sooner it's posted, the sooner the visa can be issued.
• The bond is filed via DHS Form I-352 and paid through the U.S. Treasury's Pay.gov.
• Bond holders must enter and exit the U.S. through commercial airports; the bond is automatically cancelled when you depart on time.
• You don't have to lock up the money yourself — VisaDeposits posts the bond for you for a one-time fee.

Source: U.S. Department of State — Countries Subject to Visa Bonds.