Nigerians and travellers from several other countries applying for United States B1/B2 visas may now be required to post visa bonds of up to $15,000, following a new directive issued by the US Department of State.
The visa bond policy, which applies to business and tourist visa applicants, is part of stricter entry requirements targeting nationals of countries classified as high-risk. Visa bonds serve as financial guarantees to ensure compliance with US immigration rules, particularly timely departure at the end of an authorised stay.
This development comes barely a week after the United States imposed partial travel restrictions on Nigeria, further tightening access to US visas.
According to information published on the official US State Department website, Travel.State.Gov, any bond payment made without the explicit instruction of a consular officer is non-refundable and does not guarantee visa approval.
In the updated list released on Tuesday, 38 countries were identified as subject to the visa bond requirement, 24 of them from Africa, including Nigeria.
The Department of State explained that nationals of the listed countries would be required to post bonds beginning on specified implementation dates. Nigeria’s implementation date has been set for January 21, 2026.
Other affected countries include Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and several others across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
In Nigeria’s case, US authorities cited security concerns linked to the activities of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, which they said create “substantial screening and vetting challenges” in certain regions of the country.
The US also referenced Nigeria’s visa overstay rates—5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visas—as justification for the policy. Consequently, the restrictions affect both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
Under the new directive, any eligible applicant travelling on a passport issued by one of the listed countries must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with the final amount determined during the visa interview.
Applicants will also be required to complete Form I-352 issued by the US Department of Homeland Security and agree to the bond terms via the US Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. The requirement applies regardless of where the visa application is submitted.
Nigeria was previously listed among 15 mostly African countries placed under partial US travel suspensions on December 16, alongside Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, and others.
The policy further stipulates that visa holders who post bonds must enter the United States through designated airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York), Boston Logan International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport (Virginia).
Visa bonds will only be refunded if the Department of Homeland Security confirms that the traveller departed the United States on or before the expiration of their authorised stay, did not travel before the visa expired, or was denied entry at a US port of entry.
