Quick Hits
- On January 1, 2026, the State Department added seven countries to the visa bond program: Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan.
- On January 6, the State Department added an additional twenty-five countries to the visa bond list, including Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
- The State Department expanded its list of designated ports of entry through which visa bond holds must enter and exit to nine international airports, effective January 1, 2026.
- This measure is aimed at reducing visa overstays in the United States by requiring certain travelers to post a refundable bond, creating a financial incentive to follow visa rules.
The State Department expanded its visa bond pilot program in January 2026 to include a total of thirty-two countries. On January 1, seven countries were added: Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan. On January 6, an additional twenty-five countries joined the list, including Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
This program aims to reduce visa overstays by requiring visitors from subject countries to post a refundable bond, creating a financial incentive to comply with visa rules. Visa bonds for the countries added on January 1 were implemented on the same day, while bonds for the countries added on January 6 will take effect on January 26, 2026.
Citizens or nationals traveling on a passport from any of the listed countries must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 as a condition for issuance of a B-1/B-2 visitor visa, if approved. As an additional condition of the bond, travelers must enter and exit the United States through one of nine designated ports of entry. In addition to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), the State Department added the following airports effective January 1, 2026: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), and Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The State Department indicates additional ports of entry are being added on a rolling basis.
The thirty-eight countries currently included in the pilot program are:
| Effective Date | Country Included in Visa Bond Pilot Program |
| January 21, 2026 | Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe |
| January 1, 2026 | Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, Turkmenistan |
| October 23, 2025 | Mauritania, São Tomé and Principe, Tanzania |
| October 11, 2025 | The Gambia |
| August 20, 2025 | Malawi, Zambia |
See Ogletree’s detailed article for additional information on the visa bond pilot program.
Next Steps
Visitors to the United States applying for a B-1/ B-2 visa should note the newly added countries to the State Department’s visa bond pilot program and ensure compliance with visa status, bond terms, and consular instructions. Noncompliance—such as incorrect entry points, overstays, or status changes—may trigger review by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments and will post updates on the Immigration blog as additional information becomes available.
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