18:00 - 4.08.2026

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August 4, Fineko/abc.az. The United States has transitioned its visa bond program into a permanent policy, expanding its reach to citizens of 50 countries applying for B-1/B-2 business and tourist visas.

The bond amount is determined individually by consular officers and can reach up to $20,000. The deposit is fully refunded if the traveler departs the US on time, refrains from using the visa, or is denied entry. In case of immigration rule violations, the funds are forfeited.

The list includes Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, as well as Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and several other nations. Kazakhstan was not included in the list. The Department of State noted that the target countries had higher historical rates of visa overstays, adding that visa issuance for these nationalities dropped by 83% during the pilot phase.