Nepalis applying for US tourist visas to post refundable bond of up to $15,000

Nepalis applying for US B1/B2 visitor visas will be required to post a refundable financial bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 after Nepal was placed under the United States’ visa bond programme.

According to the US Department of State, Nepal is among 25 countries whose nationals are subject to visa bonds under the programme, with implementation set to begin on January 21.

The requirement applies to Nepali passport holders who are found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, regardless of where the application is filed. In total, 38 countries have been listed in the programme.

Among Nepal’s neighbours, Bangladesh has also been included in the programme with the same effective date of January 21, while the requirement for Bhutan has been in effect from January 1.

The visa bond requirement is part of a 12-month pilot programme established through a Temporary Final Rule under Section 221(g)(3) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act. 

The programme targets B1/B2 visa applicants from selected countries based on visa overstay rates reflected in the Department of Homeland Security’s Entry/Exit Overstay Report.

According to the latest DHS report released in July 2025, nearly half a million people were suspected of overstaying in fiscal year 2024, out of an estimated 46.7 million expected departures from the United States. The report records 1,064 Nepali nationals overstaying on B1/B2 tourist visas, 506 on student visas, and 69 on other non-immigrant visa categories.

Under the programme, applicants instructed by a consular officer must submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352, also known as an Immigration Bond, and agree to the bond terms through the US Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. 

Applicants will receive a direct payment link and are warned not to use third-party websites. Payments made outside the official system will not be recognised, and the US government is not responsible for them.

The Department of State has clarified that posting a bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If an applicant pays a bond without the direction of a consular officer, the bond amount will not be returned.

As a condition of the bond, visa holders must enter and exit the United States through designated ports of entry. These currently include Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport, among others. Additional ports may be added on a rolling basis, with eligibility dates specified for each location, said the State Department.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the bond will be cancelled, and the money returned if the visa holder departs the United States on or before the authorised date of stay, does not travel before the visa expires, or is denied admission at the US port of entry.

Cases in which records indicate a possible breach of bond terms, including overstaying, failure to depart after the authorised period, or applying to adjust out of non-immigrant status, will be referred by the Department of Homeland Security to US Citizenship and Immigration Services for determination.