African countries account for 30 of the 50 nations affected by the United States’ permanent visa bond programme, meaning the continent represents 60 per cent of the full list. From Monday, 3 August 2026, consular officers may require some business and tourist visa applicants from the affected countries to pay a refundable bond of up to $20,000 before receiving a visa.
Nigeria is among the countries covered by the policy, alongside Algeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The rule applies mainly to people seeking B-1 and B-2 visas, which cover temporary business visits, tourism and some family trips. However, the maximum $20,000 bond is not an automatic charge for every applicant.
A US consular officer must first determine that an applicant is otherwise eligible for a visa before deciding whether a bond is required. The officer may set the payment at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, depending on the individual assessment.
Applicants should not pay money through an agent or unofficial website. The US State Department warns that payments made without formal instructions from a consular officer may not be refunded.
Africa carries the largest share of the visa bond list
Africa’s 30 affected countries make up 60 per cent of the 50 countries included in the programme. The remaining 20 countries, representing 40 per cent, are spread across Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific, Europe and South America.
The African countries on the list also represent about 55.6 per cent of Africa’s 54 internationally recognised sovereign states. In simple terms, more than half of the countries on the continent are covered by the US visa bond requirement.
The scale of Africa’s inclusion has raised concerns about the financial effect on travellers from countries where average household incomes are far below those in the United States.
Although the bond is refundable, applicants must first raise the full amount alongside existing visa fees, flight costs, accommodation expenses and other travel charges.
A $20,000 deposit could therefore discourage legitimate family visitors, tourists and business travellers who may qualify for visas but cannot afford to place such a large sum in government custody.
The United States says the programme is designed to reduce visa overstays and improve compliance with immigration rules. Officials said the earlier pilot scheme significantly reduced overstays among travellers who posted bonds, although visa issuance from the listed countries also fell sharply.
Full list of 30 affected African countries
The African countries covered by the visa bond programme are:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Central African Republic
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
The official US list confirms that nationals travelling on passports issued by these countries may be considered for visa bonds. The requirement applies regardless of the country in which they submit their applications.
How Africa compares with other regions
The remaining 20 affected countries come from several other regions.
Asia accounts for countries including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The Caribbean and Latin America are represented by Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
Pacific countries include Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, while Georgia is the only country on the list commonly classified within the Europe–Asia region.
This means no other single continent or region comes close to Africa’s share of the programme.
| Region | Number of countries | Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 30 | 60% |
| Other regions combined | 20 | 40% |
| Total | 50 | 100% |
Africa therefore has 10 more affected countries than every other region combined.
The figures also show a rise from the earlier phase of the programme. In January 2026, New Daily Prime reported that 24 of the 38 countries then covered were African. The permanent list has expanded to 50 countries, including 30 African states. Read New Daily Prime’s earlier report on the US visa bond programme.
What the bond means for Nigerian applicants
Nigerian applicants should understand that the bond is separate from the normal visa application fee and does not guarantee approval.
The applicant must first attend an interview and satisfy the normal requirements. A consular officer may consider travel history, employment, finances, family responsibilities and other evidence showing that the person intends to return to Nigeria after the visit.
Where a bond is ordered, payment is normally made through the US Treasury’s official Pay.gov platform after the applicant completes the required documentation.
The money should be returned without interest when the traveller leaves the United States within the authorised period, does not use the visa before it expires or is refused entry at a US border.
The bond may be forfeited if the visitor overstays or breaks the conditions attached to the visa.
Applicants should also remember that the expiry date printed on a visa is not necessarily the date by which they must leave the United States. The authorised period of stay is decided by immigration officials when the traveller enters the country.
The financial burden may lead more Nigerians to consider other destinations. New Daily Prime has previously published a guide to countries Nigerians can visit without obtaining a visa in advance.
Policy places disproportionate burden on Africa
The large African share does not automatically prove that the policy was designed solely to target the continent. The US government says countries are selected using factors such as visitor overstay rates, identity-document standards and information-sharing arrangements.
However, the result is clear: African nationals will carry most of the programme’s practical and financial impact.
Thirty of the 50 affected countries are African, while 24 African states are not currently included. That leaves the continent almost evenly divided between countries covered by the bond rule and those outside it.
The policy is not a complete travel ban. Eligible applicants can still receive US visas, but some will have to provide a financial guarantee before travelling.
The list may also change. The State Department can add or remove countries as immigration data and government co-operation arrangements are reviewed.
For Nigerian travellers, the safest approach is to follow instructions from the US Embassy, avoid unofficial payment requests and retain all documents connected with the application and bond.
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