Planning a business trip or holiday to the States? It could soon cost you up to $20,000 upfront — just to get your visa.

Well, this is a big one.

The United States has just made its controversial visa bond scheme permanent, according to a report by cbinews.tv. And it's going to affect travellers from 50 countries — 30 of which are in Africa.

Here's the gist: If you're applying for a B-1 business or B-2 tourist visa, US consular officers can now ask you to put down a refundable security deposit of up to $20,000 before they even issue the visa. If you overstay or break the terms of your stay, you lose the money.

The rule officially kicked in on 3 August 2026.

It’s not entirely new. The US trialled this as a pilot programme back in August 2025, where bonds were $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. Now, they’ve scrapped the lowest $5,000 tier and added a whopping new $20,000 top tier.

So, who’s affected? Thirty African countries are on the list, including Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, alongside 20 others globally. The bond isn’t automatic for everyone — it’s at the discretion of the consular officer — but it is now a very real possibility.

Why are they doing it? The US Department of State says it’s all about cutting down on visa overstays. They claim the pilot showed that putting cash on the line makes people stick to the rules.

But not everyone’s buying it. Critics and travel industry watchers are warning that a $20,000 deposit — even if refundable — will price out legitimate travellers, especially from lower-income countries, and could take a serious bite out of US tourism and small businesses that depend on it.

What do you think — sensible security measure or a step too far?

Reporting via cbinews.tv

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