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The United States has made its visa bond programme permanent, requiring certain applicants from 50 countries—including Bangladesh—to pay a refundable bond of up to $20,000 when applying for B1 (business) and B2 (tourist) visas.
The new rule, announced by the US State Department, will take effect on August 3, replacing the pilot programme introduced in 2025.
The maximum bond amount has been increased from $15,000 to $20,000, while the previous minimum bond option of $5,000 has been removed.
Under the policy, US consular officers may require visa applicants from designated countries to post a refundable financial bond if they are considered at higher risk of overstaying their visas.
The bond will be returned if the traveller complies with all visa conditions and leaves the United States before the authorised stay expires.
Bangladesh is among the 50 countries covered by the programme, alongside Nepal, Bhutan and several African nations. India is not included in the list.
According to the State Department, the programme aims to reduce visa overstays and strengthen immigration enforcement.
US officials say the pilot programme significantly lowered overstay rates, prompting the decision to make it permanent.
However, the policy has drawn criticism from immigration advocates and civil rights groups, who argue that the high bond requirement could discourage legitimate travel, particularly for applicants from lower-income countries, and may unfairly target certain nationalities.