By The Forum
Beginning August 20, 2025, the United States will require certain visa applicants from Malawi to pay a bond of up to $15,000 as part of a pilot program aimed at curbing visa overstays, the State Department announced Tuesday.
Zambia is another country also affected by the new policy that applies to B1/B2 visas, which are visas issued for business and tourism.
Travelers from the two countries who are otherwise eligible for a visa may be required to pay a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, based on assessments made during their visa interviews.
The bonds are refundable, provided the visitor leaves the U.S. within the permitted time frame and fully complies with the terms of their visa. The program gives U.S. consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on travelers from nations identified as having high rates of visa overstays.
A notice about the pilot program appeared Monday in the Federal Register, though it initially did not name specific countries. A State Department spokesperson later clarified that countries are selected based on several factors, including overstay rates, weaknesses in screening and vetting procedures, foreign policy considerations, and concerns over citizenship-by-investment programs lacking residency requirements. The list may be updated periodically.
Visa holders subject to the bond requirement must enter and exit the U.S. through one of three designated ports of entry, according to Tuesday’s update.
Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for fiscal year 2023 indicated that several African nations, including Burundi, Djibouti, and Togo, had high visa overstay rates, contributing to the rationale behind the pilot program.
