U.S. Expands Its List of Countries Requiring a Bond to Apply for B1/B2 Visas, Including Venezuela and Cuba
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The U.S. Department of State has added 25 additional nations to the list of countries whose citizens must post a bond to apply for B1 or B2 visas.
Among the newly included stand out Venezuela and Cuba, two socialist regimes that have been the target of conservative criticism for their alignment with anti-American influences such as China and Russia.
This expansion raises the total to 38 countries, mostly African, but with notable presence in Hispanic America and Asia; this measure takes effect on January 21, 2026, for the recent additions.
The updated list as of January 6, 2026, published by the Department of State:
Countries Subject to Visa Bonds
The Department of State has identified nationals from these countries as needing visa bonds. The implementation dates are in parentheses:
- Algeria (January 21, 2026)
- Angola (January 21, 2026)
- Antigua and Barbuda (January 21, 2026)
- Bangladesh (January 21, 2026)
- Benin (January 21, 2026)
- Bhutan (January 1, 2026)
- Botswana (January 1, 2026)
- Burundi (January 21, 2026)
- Cabo Verde (January 21, 2026)
- Central African Republic (January 1, 2026)
- Cote D’Ivorie (January 21, 2026)
- Cuba (January 21, 2026)
- Djibouti (January 21, 2026)
- Dominica (January 21, 2026)
- Fiji (January 21, 2026)
- Gabon (January 21, 2026)
- The Gambia (October 11, 2025)
- Guinea (January 1, 2026)
- Guinea Bissau (January 1, 2026)
- Kyrgyzstan (January 21, 2026)
- Malawi (August 20, 2025)
- Mauritania (October 23, 2025)
- Namibia (January 1, 2026)
- Nepal (January 21, 2026)
- Nigeria (January 21, 2026)
- Sao Tome and Principe (October 23, 2025)
- Senegal (January 21, 2026)
- Tajikistan (January 21, 2026)
- Tanzania (October 23, 2025)
- Togo (January 21, 2026)
- Tonga (January 21, 2026)
- Turkmenistan (January 1, 2026)
- Tuvalu (January 21, 2026)
- Uganda (January 21, 2026)
- Vanuatu (January 21, 2026)
- Venezuela (January 21, 2026)
- Zambia (August 20, 2025)
- Zimbabwe (January 21, 2026)
Visa Bond requirements are outlined in INA Section 221(g)(3) and the Temporary Final Rule (TFR) establishing the pilot program. Visa overstay rates are based on the B1/B2 overstay rates per the Department of Homeland Security’s Entry/Exit Overstay Report.
The measure requires any applicant eligible for a B1 visa (for business purposes) or B2 (tourist, personal, or medical) to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, determined during the consular interview.
According to the Department of State, payment does not guarantee visa approval and is not refundable if made without official indication. This policy is based on the Department of Homeland Security report on overstay rates (illegal stay beyond the authorized period), with the goal of deterring abuses in the immigration system.
The bonds seek to protect the integrity of U.S. borders, especially against uncontrolled migratory flows promoted by left-wing governments in the region.
The inclusion of Venezuela occurs just days after the U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, in Caracas, along with his wife Cilia Flores.
Maduro faces formal charges in New York for conspiracy to commit narcoterrorism and cocaine trafficking, crimes of which he has pleaded not guilty.
President Trump, in subsequent statements, emphasized that Cuba «has always survived thanks to Venezuela» and that the island «is about to fall»; he also stated that «Colombia is also very sick, run by a SICK MAN who likes making COCAINE and selling it to the U.S.»… «He won’t be like that for long.»… «There will be an OPERATION by the U.S. and I think that’s fine!»
BREAKING: President Trump just sent an INCREDIBLY strong warning to the government of Colombia
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 5, 2026
“Colombia is very sick too, run by a SICK man who likes making COCAlNE and selling it to the U.S.”
“He’s not going to be doing it very long.”
“There will be an OPERATION by the US… pic.twitter.com/KKvC0HCRDm
Although the Department of State has not explicitly linked the measure to the capture, it appears to be part of a broader strategy to reduce legal and illegal immigration, aligned with the «America First» doctrine that criticizes the permissiveness of previous left-wing administrations.
Affected applicants must enter and exit the U.S. exclusively through three designated airports: Washington Dulles (IAD), John F. Kennedy (JFK) in New York, and Logan (BOS) in Boston, starting August 20, 2025, for the general program.
Failure to comply could result in denial of entry or incomplete departure records, complicating future applications.
Citizens of Venezuela, Cuba, and the other affected countries planning to apply for B1 or B2 visas should seek detailed advice from specialized immigration attorneys or directly consult the official Department of State website to understand the bond requirements, specific airport entry restrictions, and refund conditions, thus avoiding possible complications or economic losses.
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