The State Department's visa bond program is no longer a pilot. A final rule published on 3 August 2026 made it permanent and raised the maximum bond a consular officer can require from $15,000 to $20,000.
Zambia was among the countries covered when the pilot began on 20 August 2025. The list of covered countries is set by the State Department rather than written into the rule, and it changes, so confirm the current position with the embassy or consulate handling your case before you plan around it.
What the bond is
A visa bond is money posted as a condition of getting a B-1/B-2 visitor visa. It is refunded if the visitor leaves the United States on time and complies with the terms of admission. It is forfeited if they overstay.
The rule applies to visitors for business or pleasure. It reaches applicants who are nationals of countries the Department identifies as having high overstay rates, as providing screening and vetting information it considers deficient, or as offering citizenship by investment with no residency requirement.
The bond does not replace the normal visa interview, and it does not replace the requirement to show ties to your home country. It is an additional condition on top of everything else.
What changed in 2026
Three things. The program is permanent rather than time-limited. The maximum bond is $20,000 rather than $15,000. And the Department published a separate notice on 16 September 2026 delegating authority for visa bond waivers, which means waiver decisions now sit with designated officials.
If you are sponsoring a family member
Plan for the bond in both your timeline and your budget, and treat the amount as uncertain until the consular officer sets it. The bond is posted before the visa is issued, so it is a cost that arrives earlier than most people expect.
If a visitor's trip is connected to a case we are handling, tell us before the interview is scheduled. A bond requirement can change whether a visitor visa is the right route at all.