Newswire
Islamabad: Pakistan has been excluded from a new United States visa bond programme that requires selected foreign visitors from designated countries to deposit up to US$20,000 as a refundable financial guarantee before receiving a visitor visa, according to the latest rules issued by the US government.
The programme, which came into effect on August 1, applies to citizens of 50 countries, but Pakistan is not among those included. In South Asia, Bangladesh and Nepal are covered by the new policy, while India has also been excluded.
The US State Department said the decision follows a review of a visa bond pilot programme introduced in 2025, which officials said successfully reduced visa overstays and improved compliance with American immigration regulations. Based on the results, Washington has now made the programme a permanent feature of its visa policy.
Under the revised regulations, US consular officers may require selected applicants seeking B-1 business or B-2 tourist visas from countries covered by the programme to post a refundable bond ranging from US$10,000 to US$20,000 before a visa is issued.
The updated policy raises the maximum bond amount from US$15,000 under the pilot programme to US$20,000, while removing the previous minimum bond option of US$5,000.
US officials said the programme demonstrated a significant improvement in visa compliance during its trial phase. According to the State Department, citizens from the 50 designated countries recorded 45,488 visa overstays in 2024, but during the first ten months of the pilot programme, the number of overstays fell to fewer than 50 cases.
Officials also noted that the bond requirement appeared to discourage applications from individuals considered less likely to comply with US immigration rules, contributing to a reduction in visa issuances among participating countries.
Diplomatic sources confirmed that Pakistan is not included among the countries subject to the visa bond requirement, meaning Pakistani applicants will continue to follow the existing US visitor visa application process without being subject to the new financial guarantee.
The programme covers countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific, with approximately 30 African nations included on the list.
The refundable bond is intended to encourage compliance with US immigration laws. Visitors who depart the United States before the expiration of their authorised stay and fully comply with visa conditions will receive their deposits back. However, those who overstay their visas or violate immigration rules may forfeit the bond.
The State Department clarified that the requirement will not automatically apply to every applicant from the designated countries. Instead, consular officers will determine on a case-by-case basis whether a visa bond is necessary before issuing a visitor visa.
