United States government has announced it will soon begin requiring bonds as high as $15,000 from Nigerians and other tourist and business visa applicants.
This is under the new US pilot programme set to be implemented on August 20th, 2025, as introduced by President Donald Trump.
In a statement by the US government on Monday, the programme is to dissuade visitors from overstaying their visas.
The policy, if implemented, would empower US consular officers to demand bonds from travelers originating from countries with high overstay rates or where the US deems screening and vetting procedures insufficient.
According to the Federal Register notice, visa applicants may be required to pay bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with officers generally expected to impose at least $10,000.
Countries like Angola, Liberia, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cabo Verde, and Burkina Faso—all with visa overstay rates above 10 percent in 2023—will prominently be affected.
“The funds will be returned to travelers if they depart in accordance with the terms of their visas,” Reuters quoted the notice as stating.
The development comes barely four days after the US ago imposed import tariffs on Nigeria and several other African countries.
