In order to visit the United States in 2026, citizens from dozens of nations will be required to put down thousands of dollars for an entry visa, according to new State Department regulations.
The payment scheme is part of a year-long visa bond pilot program first launched by the Trump administration in August 2025. The program requires tourists and business travelers from 38 nations to post bond payments of between $5,000 and $15,000 in order to receive B1 and B2 visas.
For the duration of the program—scheduled to last until at least August 2026—the State Department can add countries to the official visa bond list on a rolling basis. Starting on January 21, 2026, for example, the department added 25 new countries to the list, more than doubling the number of nations subject to US visa bonds.
Here’s everything travelers should know about the newly expanded visa bond policy—from how the bond’s refunds are issued to which airports are certified entry points under the regulations.
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Which countries are subject to the visa bond pilot program?
Several of the nations subject to the visa bond policy are also on the Trump administration’s partial travel ban, which narrowly limits the types of visas issued to citizens of those countries.
As of January 21, 2026, visa bonds are currently required for citizens of the following 38 countries, according to the State Department’s website. More countries could continue to be added or removed from the list on a rolling basis.
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea Bissau
- Kyrgyz Republic
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Which types of visas are affected?
The policy applies to all B1 and B2 visas, which are for business, tourism, or a combination of both and are typically valid for six months to a year. For now, the bonds in the pilot program won’t apply to student visas, which can be valid for several years, or other visa types.
The visa bond pilot program is slated to last 12 months, according to the initial notice published in the federal register.
How much are the visa bonds?
Citizens traveling from the listed countries on B1 and B2 visas will need to pay a visa bond in the amount of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 in order to enter the US. The amount an individual is required to pay is determined by officials at the time of visa application review.
