WASHINGTON: Pakistani nationals have been exempted from a US visa bond program that requires citizens of certain countries to provide a refundable financial guarantee of up to $20,000 when applying for visitor visas.
Under the program, which has been made permanent after initially being introduced as a pilot in 2025, applicants from designated countries seeking business or tourist visas may be required to pay a refundable bond ranging from $10,000 to $20,000, depending on the assessment of immigration authorities.
According to international reports, the list includes 50 countries, including Bangladesh, Nepal and several African nations. The maximum refundable bond for eligible applicants has been increased from $15,000 to $20,000 under the updated policy.
Pakistan is not included in the list of countries subject to the visa bond requirement. Afghanistan, India and Iran are also not part of the program, meaning their citizens will not be required to post the refundable financial guarantee under the policy.