The US State Department will make permanent a visa bond programme that may require applicants from 50 countries, including Bangladesh, to deposit a bond of up to $20,000 when applying for certain US visas, according to a Federal Register notice published on Friday.
The Federal Register notice applies to B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) non-immigrant visas.
Under the new rule, consular officers may require eligible visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition for visa issuance, depending on individual assessments, reports Reuters.
According to the notice, the decision follows the 2025 visa bond pilot programme, which involved the US Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Treasury.
The US government said the pilot generated sufficient evidence to conclude that a visa bond programme is an effective tool for improving compliance among visa holders and reducing visa overstays.
During the pilot phase, consular officers could impose bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000.
Under the permanent rule, the $5,000 option has been removed and the maximum bond has been increased to $20,000.
The regulation will take effect on 3 August, when it is formally published in the Federal Register.
The programme covers citizens of 50 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. Of those, 30 are African nations.
US authorities say the measure is intended to discourage visa overstays and strengthen compliance with immigration rules.
However, immigration advocates argue that the bond requirement could discourage legitimate business and tourist travel to the United States.
Rights groups have also criticised President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, saying the administration’s stricter enforcement measures undermine free speech and due process, create an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities and encourage racial profiling.
Trump has defended the measures, saying they are necessary to strengthen national security.
Although the Trump administration says its priority is reducing illegal immigration, it has also tightened legal immigration procedures by introducing higher fees for some visa categories and expanding social media screening for both visa applicants and certain immigrants already living in the United States.
