The State Department will soon require immigrants from 50 countries to pay a $15,000 bond when they enter the United States with business and tourist visas.
The Trump administration first introduced the $15,000 visa bond program in August 2025 to guarantee legal immigrants do not overstay their visas. The program comes as part of the Trump administration’s strategy to combat illegal immigration in the U.S.
An immigrant will receive their bond money back if they leave the U.S. before the visa expires.
The agency initially started the list with countries such as Malawi and Zambia in August, but has periodically added more over the past six months, totaling 38 countries by January 21. This week, the State Department added 12 more countries to the list, effective April 2.
These 12 newly added countries, reported by Reuters, are: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia.
“The State Department is keeping America’s borders secure and preventing visa overstays,” the department said in a statement. “Nationals from 50 countries will soon be required to provide a $15,000 bond for business and tourist visas – returned to those who comply with their visa terms and return home on time.”
When announcing the bond program, the State Department said it would target countries based on factors such as visa overstay rates and the nation’s foreign policy.
“Countries will be identified based on high overstay rates, screening and vetting deficiencies, concerns regarding acquisition of citizenship by investment without a residency requirement, and foreign policy considerations,” a State Department spokesperson said in August.
About 40% of illegal immigrants in the U.S. are people who came to the country through legal visas, but overstayed after their visa expired, according to a 2023 Congressional Research Service report.
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Here is full list of countries whose nationals are required to pay the visa bond: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyz Republic, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
