WASHINGTON – The United States has commenced a permanent Visa Bond Programme, requiring select business and tourist visa applicants from Nigeria and 30 other African countries to pay deposits of up to $20,000 from Monday, August 3, 2026.
The Department of State said the initiative is designed to ensure that visitors depart the US at the end of their approved stay.
According to officials, the policy was introduced in response to high visa overstay rates and poor data sharing by some African nations.
The programme will apply to countries with elevated overstay figures, weak information exchange, gaps in identity verification and criminal records, as well as deficiencies in document security and applicant screening and vetting.
The State Department said the new rule is backed by Executive Order 14159, titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion”. The order mandates the Departments of Treasury, State and Homeland Security to improve bond administration under US immigration law.
In a separate notice, the US Embassy in Nigeria warned visa applicants against submitting passport photographs that have been edited or filtered using Artificial Intelligence.
