News Desk : dhakamirror.com
The United States has recently added 25 more countries, including Bangladesh, to a list of nations whose citizens may need to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the country. This information comes from a report by Reuters, which referenced the State Department’s website on Tuesday.
Under the updated program, passport holders from these newly added countries might be required to pay a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 during their visa interview if they are applying for a B1/B2 tourism or business visa.
The B1 visa is for temporary business activities, while the B2 visa is for tourism purposes.
Payments for these bonds must be made through the US Treasury’s online service, Pay.gov.
With this change, the total number of affected countries has now reached 38, mainly from South Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
In addition to Bangladesh, the expanded list includes countries such as Algeria, Cuba, Nepal, Nigeria, and Venezuela. These new requirements will take effect starting January 21, 2026.
US officials have stated that the bond requirement is intended to discourage visitors from overstaying their visas.
However, this policy has drawn criticism for potentially making travel to the US prohibitively expensive for many applicants from developing nations. While paying a bond does not guarantee a visa, those who are denied or who comply with visa regulations can receive refunds.
