US visitor-visa bonds: what the State Department's 2 October 2026 country list says

What the State Department published

On 2 October 2026 the State Department updated its page Countries Subject to Visa Bonds. It lists 50 countries whose citizens or nationals may be required to post a bond when they apply for a B-1/B-2 (business or tourist) visitor visa, with the date bonds became applicable for each.

Vanuatu is on the list, with bonds applicable from 21 January 2026. St Kitts & Nevis does not appear on the 2 October list. The list changes over time, so check the official page rather than relying on any copy, including this one.

It follows the passport

The page says the requirement applies to any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of the listed countries, regardless of where the visa application is made. For families who hold more than one nationality, the relevant passport is the one used for the visa application.

How the bond works, per the official page

• A consular officer decides at interview whether a bond is required and sets it at US$10,000, US$15,000 or US$20,000.
• Applicants submit Form I-352 and pay through Pay.gov only after a consular officer directs them to. The page says that fees paid without a consular officer’s direction will not be returned, and that the US Government is not responsible for money paid outside its systems.
• Bond holders must enter and leave the United States through commercial air ports of entry (including CBP preclearance locations), not charter, general aviation, land or sea ports.
• If the bond terms are met, the page says the bond is cancelled and the money returned to the person who posted it, in US dollars.
• The page states that a bond does not guarantee visa issuance.

The programme began as a pilot in August 2025. A final rule published on 3 August 2026 (91 FR 48757) made it permanent.

What this does not mean

This piece summarises an official US government page. It says nothing about any individual’s application or its outcome, and it is not a recommendation about which passport to use. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice.