US visa bonds apply to 50 countries, India excluded

WASHINGTON DC: The United States has designated 50 countries whose citizens face visa bonds reaching up to USD 20,000 for tourist and business visas, leaving India exempt from the mandate while encompassing South Asian nations such as Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.

On Friday, the State Department released a revised list of nations whose nationals must post financial bonds upon qualifying for B1/B2 visas. Under this programme, individuals travelling on passports from the specified countries are required to deposit bonds valued at USD 10,000, USD 15,000 or USD 20,000, with the exact figure fixed by a consular official during the visa interview, according to the State Department.

Holders of Indian passports remain exempt from this obligation. As detailed by the State Department index, Nepal and Bangladesh have faced the mandate since January 21, whereas Bhutan was incorporated beginning January 1. Additional nations spanning Africa, the Caribbean, Central Asia and the Pacific are similarly featured.