In a move aimed at curbing visa overstays, the United States government has announced a new pilot programme that will require tourist and business visa applicants from Nigeria and several other countries to post bonds of up to $15,000.
The policy, set to take effect from August 20, 2025, was detailed in a notice published by the U.S. government on Monday. According to the notice, the initiative targets countries with high rates of visa overstays or where vetting procedures are deemed inadequate.
Under the programme, U.S. consular officers will have the discretion to demand visa bonds in amounts of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with most applicants likely required to pay at least $10,000. These bonds will be refunded if travellers comply with visa conditions and leave the U.S. within the approved period.
Countries particularly affected include Nigeria, Angola, Liberia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Cabo Verde, and Burkina Faso, all of which recorded overstay rates exceeding 10% in 2023.
This latest initiative revives a similar policy introduced during the final months of President Donald Trump’s first term in 2020, which was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on global travel. Trump, who is again at the helm of the U.S. government, has maintained a strong stance on immigration control and national security.
A State Department spokesperson explained that countries would be selected based on multiple criteria, including overstay statistics, vetting capability, concerns about citizenship-for-investment schemes, and broader foreign policy issues.
Although the exact number of affected applicants remains uncertain, the U.S. Travel Association estimates the programme will impact about 2,000 travellers, mostly from countries with low travel volumes to the U.S.
Other nations potentially subject to the bond include those already under U.S. travel restrictions, such as Chad, Eritrea, Haiti, Myanmar, and Yemen, alongside others in Africa like Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo.
In a separate policy shift, the U.S. Congress, now controlled by Republicans, recently passed a bill introducing a $250 “visa integrity fee” for all approved non-immigrant visa holders, effective October 1. This fee is also refundable for applicants who follow visa regulations.
Critics, however, warn that the increasing financial burden may deter genuine travellers and hamper the recovery of international tourism. The U.S. Travel Association noted that if implemented, the U.S. would be among the countries with the highest visa costs globally.
These dual measures are part of the broader Trump administration efforts to reform immigration policies and prevent visa abuse, but concerns remain over their impact on international relations and tourism.
