The U.S. has expanded its visa bond program to cover 30 African countries whose citizens have to pay a refundable bond while applying for specific visas.
US Visa Bond Program, The policy will be applied to certain individuals applying for B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourist) visas. As per the program, the U.S. consular officers may impose the requirement of paying a bond on individuals who are considered high risk of overstaying their visas.
The visa bond is not a visa fee but a compliance tool that must be paid by certain individuals. Travelers who comply with all the visa conditions and leave the U.S. within the stipulated period will get the money back.
African Countries Included In This Program – US Visa Bond Program
The revised program now covers citizens of the following 30 African countries:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
These nations are among the countries included in the visa bond program, which covers a total of 50 countries.
How Much Is the Visa Bond?
Applicants will be expected to provide one of the following refundable bonds:
- $10,000
- $15,000
- $20,000
The specific amount will be determined by a U.S. consular officer based on an individual’s visa application. The amount will be decided on a case-by-case basis depending on several factors, including an applicant’s travel history and likelihood of overstaying.
It is important to note that not all applicants from the aforementioned countries will have to pay a bond.
Who Does It Affect?
The policy will affect people applying for the following:
Those people that the consular officers deem will need more reassurance will be required to pay the deposit.
The bond payment is not supposed to take the place of the regular visa application fee, but it is also not a guarantee for a visa application approval. All current immigration laws in the USA will need to be complied with in addition to other things.
When Is The Bond Returned?
The bond can be returned when the foreigner has followed all conditions of the visa.
These are some things that he should do to get the money back:
- Enter the United States legally based on the visa.
- Depart the country before his visa expires.
- Comply with all the visa and immigration requirements during his visit.
In case he breaches the terms of his visa, the security deposit may end up being forfeited due to U.S. immigration laws.
Why is the Visa Bond Program Growing in the U.S?
Visa bond programs are formulated with the aim of curbing the problem of overstays in order to promote compliance with the U.S. immigration laws.
Imposing a mandatory security deposit on risky visitors is aimed at preventing overstays while not hindering real tourists or business visitors from traveling.
It is one of the methods used by the U.S. government in enforcing its immigration policy without closing off any means of temporary travel.
Applicants coming from the countries that have this requirement imposed should check the current guidelines before applying for the visa.
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