The United States has made its visa bond programme permanent, requiring certain travellers from 50 countries, including Nigeria and 29 other African nations, to pay a refundable bond of up to $20,000 before receiving some categories of US visas.

The US Department of State said the requirement applies to applicants seeking B1/B2 business and tourist visas who are otherwise eligible for a visa but are directed by a consular officer to provide a bond before issuance.

The department, in a federal notice published on Friday, said the measure was introduced after a pilot programme showed that visa bonds could help improve compliance with US immigration laws.

Under the programme, travellers who comply with visa conditions and leave the United States within the approved period will have their bonds refunded.

The notice stated that consular officers may require eligible nonimmigrant visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition for visa issuance.

“The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond programme, has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond programme is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders,” the department said.

Nigeria is among the 50 countries whose nationals may be required to provide the visa bond. The full list includes:

Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Applicants selected for the programme must complete the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352.

The US government warned applicants not to submit the form or make payments unless they receive direct instructions from a consular officer.

The bond can be paid by the applicant or a third party, including a relative, friend or business associate. Payments must be made through the official US government Pay.gov platform after the applicant receives a payment link.

The State Department cautioned applicants against using unofficial websites and said it would not be responsible for payments made outside approved government channels.

It added that the person making the payment must match the name of the obligor listed on Form I-352.

The department also clarified that payment of the bond does not guarantee visa approval and that applicants who make payments without official instructions will not receive refunds.

Travellers placed under the programme must enter and leave the United States through approved commercial airports, including airports with US Customs and Border Protection preclearance facilities. They are not allowed to enter through charter flights, private aircraft, land border crossings or seaports under the arrangement.

The bond will be cancelled and refunded if the traveller leaves the United States on or before the date authorised by immigration officials, does not travel before the visa expires, or is denied entry at a US port of entry.

However, the Department of Homeland Security may declare the bond forfeited if a traveller breaches the programme’s conditions, including overstaying the authorised period, failing to depart after the approved stay, or violating the terms of the visa bond.

The State Department said the programme is based on provisions of the US Immigration and Nationality Act and takes into account visitor overstay rates reported by the Department of Homeland Security.

It added that the requirement applies to eligible applicants regardless of where they submit their visa applications.