The United States is making its visa bond program for citizens of certain countries permanent starting August 3. The new rules will affect applicants for tourist and business visas in categories B-1, B-2, and B-1/B-2, according to infohub.kz.
The list of countries subject to the mandatory bond includes 50 nations: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Kazakhstan is not on the list.
Under the final rule from the U.S. State Department, consular officers may set a bond of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000, depending on the applicant's circumstances. The baseline amount is $15,000, but it can be reduced or increased.
The program applies to countries with high rates of visa overstays, insufficient information sharing, problems with identity and criminal background checks, and security issues with travel and civil documents. The list of participating countries is published on the State Department's website and can be updated. A new country must be added at least 15 days before the requirements take effect for its citizens.
The bond will be a condition for visa issuance. The money will be refunded if the traveler does not use the visa or complies with the terms of stay and leaves the U.S. through a commercial airport on time. If visa terms are significantly violated, the entire amount may be forfeited.
Visas issued under the program may be valid for single or multiple entries, with a duration of three months to one year. Holders will be allowed to enter and exit the U.S. only through commercial airports; crossing land or sea borders will not satisfy the bond conditions.
According to the State Department, the pilot program included 50 countries. In the first ten months, the number of overstays among participants dropped from 45,488 in fiscal year 2024 to fewer than 50. Meanwhile, the number of visas issued to citizens of these countries fell by 83%.
Previously, Kursiv reported that obtaining a U.S. visa for Kazakhstani citizens remains a difficult and unpredictable process: the adjusted refusal rate for tourist and business visas reaches 51.75%. The average wait time for an interview in Almaty is about 45 days, in Astana up to 90 days, and the consular fee is $185. Visa experts also warned that fake certificates, fictitious bookings, and hiding previous refusals can lead to a multi-year entry ban.