Pakistan has not been included in the United States’ permanent visa bond program, meaning Pakistani citizens applying for US visitor visas will not be required to pay a refundable financial guarantee of up to $20,000.
The updated policy applies only to selected countries and does not change the existing visitor visa application process for Pakistani applicants.
What Happened
According to an international online publication, the United States has made its visa bond pilot program, first introduced in 2025, a permanent part of its immigration policy.
Under the program, certain applicants seeking business or tourist visas may be required to provide a refundable security deposit ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.
The report states that the maximum bond amount has been increased from $15,000 under the pilot program to $20,000 under the permanent policy.
Countries Included
The visa bond program reportedly covers nearly 50 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal and several African nations.
Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Iran are not included in the list. As a result, citizens of these countries will not be subject to the new financial guarantee requirement when applying for US visitor visas.
Why It Matters
The exemption means Pakistani applicants can continue applying for US visitor visas under the existing procedures without having to deposit a refundable bond of up to $20,000.
For travelers and families, this avoids an additional financial requirement that could significantly increase the cost of obtaining a visitor visa.
Background
The visa bond program was introduced by the United States in 2025 as a pilot initiative targeting selected countries where higher rates of visa overstays or immigration violations had reportedly been observed.
Officials say the refundable bond is intended to encourage compliance with US immigration laws and visa conditions.
What’s Next
Unless Pakistan is added to the program in the future, Pakistani citizens applying for US business or tourist visas will continue to follow the current application process without the visa bond requirement.
Note: At the time of publication, the reported policy indicates that Pakistan is not among the countries covered by the US visa bond program, and Pakistani applicants remain exempt from the refundable security deposit requirement.
