Bangladeshi nationals approved for a B1/B2 (business and tourist) United States visa will be required to post a bond of up to $15,000 from January 21, 2026, the US Embassy in Dhaka announced on it's social media page.
This new rule will apply only to visas issued on or after that date. Nationals holding a valid B1/B2 visa issued before January 21 will not have to pay the bond.
In its advisory, the embassy warned applicants, “Do NOT pay your bond in advance. Paying early does not guarantee you a visa, and third-party sites can be scams.”
And the agency also warned that any payment made before the visa interview “is NOT refundable.” The bond will be returned if the visa holder respects all the terms of their stay in US.
The requirement is part of a visa bond policy introduced by the US Department of State, under which citizens of certain countries must provide a financial guarantee after they are found eligible for a B1/B2 visa. The list is still reforming.
As of January 8, nationals from Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe are included, with implementation dates ranging from August 2025 to January 2026.
Applicants who are told to post a bond will be asked to submit Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-352 (US government form used to post visa bond) and complete the payment through the Department of the Treasury’s online platform Pay.gov after direction from a consular officer. Payments made through unofficial third-party sites or before the officer’s instructions will not be recognised by the US government.
The bond requirement does not guarantee issuance of a visa, and applicants should only pay once a consular officer has approved their visa and provided an official link for payment.
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