In a significant tightening of its immigration framework, the administration of US President Donald Trump has unveiled a second list of nations whose citizens may now be required to post a financial bond of up to $15,000 to obtain certain US visas. This move nearly triples the number of countries targeted by the controversial programme, with a clear focus on nations in Africa, alongside additions from Latin America and Asia.
Expanded List and Key Inclusion
The updated list, which brings the total number of affected countries to 38, includes 25 new entrants. A notable addition is Venezuela, a country already in the headlines after its former leader, Nicolas Maduro, was reportedly seized by US forces and brought to New York over the past weekend. The timing underscores the complex diplomatic and immigration landscape.
The State Department confirmed that the policy for these newly added nations will become active on January 21. Citizens travelling on passports from these countries who are applying for B1/B2 visas for business or tourism may be mandated to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with the exact sum determined during the visa interview.
Official Rationale and Refund Mechanism
Defending the policy expansion, US authorities stated the primary goal is to deter visitors from overstaying their visas. The bond acts as a financial guarantee for compliance. It is crucial to note that paying the bond does not ensure visa approval. The amount will be fully refunded if the visa application is denied or if the visa holder departs the United States within the permitted timeframe, adhering to all visa conditions.
This initiative is part of a broader suite of hard-line immigration measures introduced under President Trump. Previous steps have included enforcing in-person interviews, demanding years of social media history, and requiring exhaustive travel and residence histories for applicants and their families.
Complete List of Affected Nations
The 25 nations newly added to the visa bond programme are:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Burundi
- Cape Verde
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Ivory Coast
- Kyrgyzstan
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- Tajikistan
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zimbabwe
They join 13 countries from an earlier list, including Bhutan, Botswana, The Gambia, Guinea, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, and Zambia, among others.
Reactions and Potential Impact
The policy has drawn sharp criticism from human rights and immigration advocacy groups. Critics argue that such financial barriers effectively price out applicants from lower-income nations, curtail due process, and unfairly stereotype travellers based on nationality. They contend it moves away from individualized assessment of visa applicants.
Conversely, the Trump administration and its supporters maintain that these measures are essential for protecting domestic security and ensuring the integrity of the immigration system. They argue the bond is a tool to guarantee that temporary visitors do not become permanent overstays.
For many potential travellers and immigrants from the listed countries, this new financial hurdle could make the dream of visiting the United States for business, tourism, or family reasons substantially more difficult, if not completely unaffordable, reshaping global travel dynamics from these regions.
