Nigerians and other foreign nationals applying for United States B1/B2 visas for business or tourism may soon be required to post visa bonds of up to $15,000, following a new travel restriction introduced by the US State Department.
Visa bonds are financial guarantees imposed on applicants from countries classified as high-risk. The bond is intended to ensure compliance with US immigration rules, particularly departure before the expiration of authorised stay.
The new requirement further tightens entry conditions for Nigerians, coming just a week after the United States announced partial travel restrictions on Nigeria and some other countries.
According to information published on the US Department of State’s website, Travel.State.Gov, payment of visa bond fees without the explicit direction of a consular officer will not be refunded and does not guarantee automatic visa issuance.
In the updated list released on Tuesday, 38 countries were identified as requiring visa bonds, with African nations accounting for 24 of them, including Nigeria.
The Department of State noted that nationals from the listed countries have been identified as requiring visa bonds, with implementation dates specified for each country.
Countries affected include Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Implementation dates vary by country, with Nigeria’s set for January 21, 2026.
In Nigeria’s case, the US cited the presence and operations of radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in parts of the country, which it said have created “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.”
The US also referenced Nigeria’s visa overstay rates, citing 5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visas. These figures were used to justify Nigeria’s inclusion and the expansion of travel restrictions to cover both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
According to the directive, any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of the listed countries, who is otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with the final amount determined during the visa interview.
Applicants will also be required to submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352 and agree to the bond terms through the US Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. The requirement applies regardless of where the visa application is submitted.
Nigeria was among 15 mostly African countries placed under partial US travel suspensions on December 16, alongside Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, and others.
The directive further states that visa holders who post bonds must enter the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
Visa bonds will only be refunded when the US Department of Homeland Security confirms that the traveller departed the United States on or before the expiration of their authorised stay, when the visa expires without travel, or when entry is denied at a US port of entry.
