Nigerians and other African nationals applying for United States business and tourist visas may now be required to pay a refundable bond of up to 20,000 dollars as part of new immigration measures aimed at reducing visa overstays and strengthening compliance with US immigration laws.
The policy, which took effect on Monday, August 3, 2026, makes permanent the Visa Bond Programme introduced on a trial basis in August 2025. The US Department of State said the initiative targets applicants from countries with high visa overstay rates, weak information-sharing systems, and gaps in identity verification and travel document security.
The programme is also linked to Executive Order 14159, which directs US authorities to strengthen the administration of immigration bonds. Under the new rules, consular officers will determine whether a bond is required and set the amount at 10,000 dollars, 15,000 dollars, or 20,000 dollars, depending on each applicant’s circumstances.
US officials said the pilot programme proved effective, noting that visa overstays from participating countries fell sharply during the trial period. However, they also acknowledged that visa applications dropped significantly, with many applicants choosing not to proceed after the bond requirement was introduced.
“The 2025 visa bond pilot, which provided a framework for the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of the Treasury to assess the feasibility of administering a visa bond programme, has provided sufficient data to suggest that a visa bond program is an effective tool for enforcing compliance among bonded visa holders,” it said.
The State Department maintained that the policy is intended to encourage greater cooperation from foreign governments on information sharing and document security, rather than serve as a punitive measure.
“This program responds to… and is intended to encourage foreign governments to take immediate action to reduce the overstay rates by encouraging their nationals to comply with US immigration laws,” the notice stated.
Meanwhile, the US Mission in Nigeria has advised visa applicants against submitting AI-generated or digitally altered passport photographs, warning that edited or filtered images will not be accepted during the application process.
