USA Makes Visa Bond Programme Permanent For B-1/B-2 Visa Applicants From Nigeria and Forty-Nine (49) Other Countries

On July 31, 2026, the United States published a notice in the Federal Register confirming that, effective August 3, 2026, its visa bond programme would become permanent. The programme, which had operated as a pilot since 2025, requires certain non-immigrant visa applicants from fifty (50) designated countries, including Nigeria, to post a refundable bond of up to Twenty Thousand United States Dollars (US$20,000) as a condition of visa issuance.

This alert provides an overview of the permanent visa bond programme and highlights key considerations for affected applicants.