05/08/2025
The Department of State has identified nationals of the following countries as subject to visa bonds, as outlined in INA Section 221(g)(3) and the recently published Temporary Final Rule (TFR) establishing the pilot program, based on their B1/B2 overstay rate per the Department of Homeland Security’s FY 2023 Overstay Report.
Malawi
Zambia
Starting August 20, 2025, any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa must post a bond in amounts of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, determined at time of visa interview. The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 agreeing to the terms of the bond, through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of place of application.
Applicants should only submit a Form I-352 to post a bond after being directed to do so by a consular officer. Applicants will be provided a direct link and must pay via Pay.gov – applicants must not use any third-party website for posting the bond as the U.S. Government is not responsible for any money paid outside of U.S. Government systems.
A bond does not guarantee visa issuance, and if any individual pays fees without being directed to do so by a consular officer, that money will not be returned.
Required Ports of Entry
As a condition of the bond, all visa holders who have posted a visa bond must arrive to and depart from the United States via one of the ports of entry listed below. Failure to do so may result in being denied entry or a departure not being appropriately registered:
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Visa Bond Compliance
The full visa bond amount will be returned to the applicant if the applicant complies with all the terms of the nonimmigrant visa status and with the terms of the visa bond, which are set out on the bond form (Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352 Immigration Bonds) and in the Federal Register. The bond will be canceled and the bond money will be automatically returned in the following circumstances:
The visa holder departs from the United States on or before the date to which he or she is authorized to remain in the United States; or
The visa holder does not travel to the United States before the expiration of the visa; or
The visa holder applies for and is denied admission at the U.S. port of entry.
Visa Bond Breach
The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for determining that a visa holder has breached the terms of the visa bond. The Department of State will forward cases in which the visa holder appears to not have complied with the terms of the visa bond to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for a breach determination, including, but not limited to, the following circumstances:
The visa holder departs from the United States after the date to which he or she is authorized to remain in the United States,
The visa holder remains in the United States after the date to which he or she is authorized to remain, and does not depart,
The visa holder applies to adjust out of nonimmigrant status, including claiming asylum.
