The United States has introduced new travel restrictions that will require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 (business and tourism) visas to post a visa bond of $15,000, further tightening entry conditions for Nigerian travellers.
This is according to information published on the US Department of State’s website, Travel.State.Gov, which notes that payment of a bond does not guarantee visa issuance and that any fee paid without the express direction of a consular officer will not be refunded.
The policy forms part of a broader visa risk-management framework targeting countries assessed as high-risk.
The new requirement is scheduled to take effect for Nigeria on January 21, 2026, coming barely weeks after the US imposed partial travel restrictions on Nigerian visa applicants.
What the policy says
Under the directive, Nigeria is among 38 countries whose nationals will be required to post visa bonds when applying for B1/B2 visas, with African countries accounting for 24 of those listed.
The US Department of State explained that nationals from the affected countries who are otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa will be required to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with the exact amount determined during the visa interview.
According to the directive:
“Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is otherwise found eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.”
- Applicants will also be required to submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352 and agree to the bond terms through the US Treasury’s Pay.gov platform. The requirement applies regardless of where the visa application is submitted.
- Visa holders who post bonds will also be restricted to entering the United States through designated airports, including John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York), Boston Logan International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport (Virginia).
When bonds are refunded
The bond will only be refunded if one of the following conditions is met:
- The visa holder departs the United States on or before the expiration of their authorised stay
- The applicant does not travel before the visa expires
- The traveller applies for admission at a US port of entry and is denied
Failure to meet these conditions could result in forfeiture of the bond.
Countries affected
Nigeria joins several other African and non-African countries on the list, including Algeria, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Nepal, Venezuela, and others, with implementation dates varying between August 2025 and January 2026.
What you should know
The introduction of the visa bond requirement follows the partial US travel restrictions imposed on Nigeria on December 16, when the country was listed among 15 mostly African nations facing tighter visa controls.
- In Nigeria’s case, US authorities cited security concerns, including the activities of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, which they said pose “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.”
- The US government also referenced visa overstay data, citing an overstay rate of 5.56% for B1/B2 visas and 11.90% for F, M, and J visas as justification for Nigeria’s inclusion.
- As a result, the earlier travel suspension affected both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
