- The US has made a visa bond program permanent, requiring applicants from Nepal and 49 other countries to pay up to $20,000.
- Applied to B-1 and B-2 visas, the refundable bond aims to reduce overstay rates and enforcement costs for the US government.
- Statistics show visa approvals from affected countries dropped 83%, as many applicants cannot afford or choose not to pay the high bond.
- While officials cite the program's effectiveness, critics argue it creates significant financial barriers for genuine travelers from developing nations.
Washington, D.C./Kathmandu: For thousands of Nepali travellers hoping to visit the United States for tourism, business or family reasons, obtaining a visa may soon require more than documents and an interview. A new US policy now requires applicants from Nepal and 49 other countries to provide a financial bond of up to US$20,000 before their visa interviews.
The US Department of State has decided to make its visa bond programme permanent after reviewing a year-long pilot initiative aimed at reducing visa overstays. The rule, published in the Federal Register, will apply to applicants seeking B-1 business visas and B-2 tourist visas from countries identified as having higher rates of visa violations.
Nepal, along with neighbouring Bangladesh and Bhutan, has been included in the list of affected countries. The decision is expected to draw attention among Nepalese communities in the United States and among families, students, entrepreneurs and visitors who regularly travel between the two countries.
Under the new arrangement, applicants from the designated countries will be required to pay a refundable bond of either US$10,000 or US$20,000 before appearing for their visa interview. The previous minimum bond option of US$5,000, available during the pilot phase, has been removed.
The money will be returned if the visa application is rejected or if the traveller follows all US immigration rules and departs the country within the authorised period. However, if a visitor overstays or violates visa conditions, the bond may be forfeited.
US officials say the policy has helped reduce visa overstays. According to the State Department, nearly 45,500 visitors from the 50 listed countries overstayed their visas in 2024. However, during the first ten months of the pilot programme, fewer than 50 individuals covered by the bond requirement overstayed, which officials described as evidence of the programme’s effectiveness.
The Trump administration introduced the pilot programme in August 2025 as part of a broader effort to strengthen immigration enforcement. Officials argued that preventing visa overstays would reduce the financial burden on the government, estimating that the cost of locating, detaining and removing an individual who remains in the US illegally can reach around US$18,000.
However, the policy has also faced criticism from immigration advocates and affected communities. Critics say requiring a bond of up to US$20,000 could create a significant barrier for ordinary travellers from developing countries, including those visiting relatives, attending business meetings or exploring educational opportunities.
The State Department initially estimated that around 2,000 applicants per year would be affected by the bond requirement. Instead, the programme covered nearly 20,000 applicants, and almost half chose not to proceed by paying the bond. As a result, visa approvals for business and tourism travel from the listed countries declined by 83 per cent, according to the department.
For Nepal, the new requirement could have wider implications beyond individual travellers. The United States remains one of the most important destinations for Nepali students, professionals, entrepreneurs and families connected through the large Nepali diaspora. Travel experts warn that the additional financial requirement could discourage some genuine visitors who may not have access to large amounts of money.
Supporters of the policy argue that countries with higher rates of visa violations must take stronger measures to ensure that visitors respect US immigration laws. Critics, however, say a blanket financial requirement risks treating all applicants as potential immigration violators rather than assessing individuals based on their personal circumstances.
The US government has indicated that more countries could be added to the programme in the future. For Nepali travellers, the permanent visa bond rule marks a significant change in the process of accessing short-term travel opportunities to the United States.
