WASHINGTON, DC – THE US State Department has named Malawi and Zambia as the first countries to be placed under its new visa bond pilot programme, which will run for 12 months.
Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce at a press briefing in Washington, DC confirmed that a temporary final rule was published in the Federal Register, targeting countries with high visa overstay rates.
Malawi and Zambia were selected based on data from the 2023 fiscal year, which showed overstay rates exceeding 10 percent.
"This is to implement a visa bond pilot program under the Immigration and Nationality Act consistent with Executive Order 14159," Bruce explained. "Beginning August 20th, nationals of Malawi and Zambia applying for B1, B2 business and tourist visas will be required to post a bond of up to $15,000. This targeted, common-sense measure reinforces the administration’s commitment to U.S. immigration law while deterring visa overstays.”
According to the State Department, the program is aimed at visitors from countries with high overstay rates, weak visa screening procedures, or those that offer Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs without residency requirements.
Under the new policy, individuals approved for a US B1/B2 or certain other non-immigrant visas will be required to pay a refundable bond. The exact amount—either $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000—will be determined by the consular officer handling the application. Successful applicants will have 30 days to make the payment.
There had been speculation that Caribbean nations might be included on the list due to their own high overstay rates and popular CBI programmes. While the initial list does not include any Caribbean territories, officials noted that the list may be updated in the future.
