The United States has introduced new travel restrictions that could require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 business and tourist visas to post bonds of up to $15,000.
Information published on the US Department of State’s website, Travel.State.Gov, explains that the payment of a visa bond does not guarantee visa issuance. It also notes that any fees paid without the explicit direction of a consular officer will not be refunded.
Out of 38 countries listed in the updated directive released by the US State Department on Tuesday, 24 are African nations, including Nigeria. Visa bonds are financial guarantees imposed on applicants from countries classified as high-risk, aimed at ensuring compliance with US immigration rules.
The implementation dates differ by country, with Nigeria scheduled for January 21, 2026. According to the Department of State, nationals of the affected countries who are otherwise eligible for B1/B2 visas will be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, depending on the outcome of their visa interviews.
Countries affected include Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with implementation dates ranging from August 2025 to January 2026.
Applicants required to post bonds must 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. This requirement applies regardless of where the visa application is submitted.
Visa holders who post bonds will also be required to enter the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, among others.
Refunds of the bond will only be processed when the Department of Homeland Security records the visa holder’s departure from the US on or before the expiration of their authorised stay, if the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or if the traveller applies for admission but is denied entry at a US port.
This policy follows the introduction of partial US travel restrictions on Nigeria and several other countries announced a week earlier. On December 16, the US placed partial travel suspensions on 15 mostly African countries, including Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, and The Gambia.
For Nigeria, the US cited security concerns linked to the activities of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in certain regions, as well as “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.” Overstay rates of 5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visas were also referenced. As a result, the restrictions apply to both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
