US visa bond program implementation
The developments in this story so far, most recent first.
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Milestone
US makes visa bond program permanent for nationals of 50 countries
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· date approximate Background
The visa bond program was implemented as a pilot for one year.
Before the current permanent regulations were established, the United States implemented the visa bond program as a one-year pilot. During this pilot period, visa applicants could have been required to deposit bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.
The pilot program, which was launched in 2025, involved approximately 20,000 applications. Results from the Department of State indicated that the high bond requirements significantly impacted visa application demand and that many applicants chose not to pay the bond.