Olayiwola Matthew
The United States government has introduced a new visa restriction that will require some Nigerians applying for B1/B2 (business and tourist) visas to post refundable bonds of up to $15,000, roughly N22 million at prevailing rates.
According to details published on the US State Department’s website, Travel.State.Gov, payment of the bond does not guarantee visa approval and any fee paid without instruction from a consular officer will not be refunded.
The measure forms part of a new directive released on Tuesday, which lists 38 countries, including 24 from Africa, whose nationals will be affected.
The implementation date for Nigeria is January 21, 2026.
Visa bonds function as financial guarantees for applicants from countries classified as high-risk for overstaying their visas.
Applicants found otherwise eligible for B1/B2 visas may be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, depending on consular determination during their interviews.
“The Department of State has identified certain countries whose nationals applying for B-1/B-2 visas are required to post visa bonds,” the notice stated.
Other affected countries include: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Applicants required to post bonds must complete the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352, agree to terms, and make payment via the US Treasury platform Pay.gov.
The requirement applies regardless of the country where the visa is submitted.
Those posting visa bonds will also be required to enter the US only through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York) and Washington Dulles International Airport.
Bonds may be refunded only when: the holder departs before expiry of authorised stay, the visa expires unused or the traveller is denied entry at a US port of entry.
The policy comes less than a week after the US announced partial travel restrictions on Nigeria on December 16, citing terrorism-linked vetting difficulties and high visa overstay rates.
Nigeria recorded 5.56% overstay for B1/B2 visas, and 11.90% for student and exchange visas (F, M, J categories), according to US data.