The United States Department of State has finalized a permanent Visa Bond Programme requiring nonimmigrant business and tourist (B-1/B-2) visa applicants from Nigeria and nearly 50 other nations to post entry bonds of up to $20,000.
Effective Monday, August 3, 2026, the measure transitions a pilot scheme launched in August 2025 into permanent policy under Executive Order 14159.
Consular officers will evaluate individual applicants and assign bond tiers set at $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 based on employment, financial stability, and home ties. The deposit is fully refundable without interest upon verified departure within the authorized stay window, but forfeited upon visa default.
State Department data showed that during the 2025 pilot phase, overstay incidents within covered countries dropped from 45,488 in 2024 to under 50 cases, though visa issuance dropped 83 percent as many applicants declined the financial requirement.
Separately, the US Mission in Nigeria warned applicants against submitting AI-manipulated or altered passport photos, confirming modified images will lead to automatic rejection.
"The 2025 visa bond pilot has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders." — US Department of State Notice
#USVisa #NigeriaUS #USImmigration #VisaBond #TravelNews #USMissionNigeria #ForeignAffairs
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