U.S. to Revive Visa Bond Policy, Nigerians May Pay Up to $15,000 to Visit
U.S. to Revive Visa Bond Policy, Nigerians May Pay Up to $15,000 to Visit
Nigerians planning a trip to the United States may soon be required to pay as much as $15,000 upfront as the US government revives a controversial visa bond policy targeting travellers from countries with high visa overstay rates.
The Trump administration is moving ahead with a 12-month pilot programme that will allow US consular officers to demand refundable visa bonds—ranging from $5,000 to $15,000—from applicants seeking to visit the US for business or tourism. The policy is set to take effect from August 20.
According to a notice expected to be published on Tuesday in the Federal Register, the programme will apply to nationals of countries identified as having significant visa overstay rates, weak internal documentation systems, or insufficient screening and vetting procedures. Several African nations—including Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Angola—are expected to be affected.
The visa bond, which is refundable, will be returned once the traveller exits the US, obtains US citizenship, or passes away. However, failure to depart the US on time may result in the bond being forfeited and applied towards the cost of enforcement and removal proceedings.
This marks a return to a policy first introduced by the Trump administration in November 2020 but never fully implemented due to the global halt in international travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, the rule targeted countries with visa overstay rates exceeding 10 percent—many of them in Africa.
The current iteration also expands the scope to include countries offering citizenship-by-investment schemes, particularly where passports are issued without a residency requirement.
Although the exact list of countries has not been finalised, 2023 data from US Customs and Border Protection indicates that nations with some of the highest visa overstay rates include Angola, Nigeria, Liberia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, and Afghanistan.
The final list of affected countries will be published at least 15 days before the policy comes into force.
