New US travel restrictions require Nigerians to post visa bonds of up to $15,000
The United States has introduced new travel restrictions that could require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 visa to post bonds of up to $15,000.
Visa bonds are financial guarantees required by the US… pic.twitter.com/uHfcFZY4g7
— TheCable (@thecableng) January 7, 2026
The United States has announced new travel restrictions that could require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 business and tourism visas to post financial bonds of up to $15,000. The policy, unveiled by the U.S. State Department on Tuesday, targets applicants from 38 countries classified as high risk, including 24 African nations. Under the measures, visa applicants may be asked to provide bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, based on assessments made during their visa interviews, with implementation for Nigeria set to begin on January 21.
According to the State Department, any eligible B1/B2 visa applicant travelling on a passport from one of the affected countries must post the required bond and submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352. Applicants will also be required to complete payment through the U.S. Treasury Department’s Pay.gov platform, regardless of where the visa application is lodged. The department cautioned that payment of a bond does not guarantee visa issuance and that fees paid without the instruction of a consular officer will not be refunded.
Nigerian travellers who post the bond and are granted visas will be limited to entering the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. The State Department added that refunds will only be issued if the Department of Homeland Security confirms the traveller departed on or before the authorised date, if the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or if entry is denied at a U.S. port of entry.