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The U.S. Department of State has announced that, beginning August 20, 2025, nationals of Malawi and Zambia will be subject to visa bond requirements under a pilot program established by a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) and authorized by Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The policy is based on B1\/B2 visa overstay rates reported in the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Fiscal Year 2023 Overstay Report.<\/p>\n
Under the new rule, citizens or nationals traveling on passports issued by Malawi or Zambia who are otherwise eligible for a B1\/B2 visitor visa must post a bond in the amount of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The bond amount will be determined during the visa interview. Applicants must also submit Form I-352, issued by the Department of Homeland Security, and complete payment through the Department of the Treasury\u2019s online platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of where the visa application is submitted.<\/p>\n
Applicants are instructed to submit Form I-352 only after receiving direction from a consular officer. A direct link to Pay.gov will be provided, and applicants are warned not to use third-party websites to post the bond, as the U.S. Government will not be responsible for any payments made outside official systems. Posting a bond does not guarantee visa issuance, and any fees paid without consular instruction will not be refunded.<\/p>\n
Visa holders who have posted a bond must enter and exit the United States through one of three designated ports of entry: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). Failure to comply with this requirement may result in denial of entry or improper registration of departure.<\/p>\n
The full bond amount will be refunded if the visa holder complies with all terms of their nonimmigrant visa status and the conditions outlined in Form I-352 and the Federal Register. The bond will be canceled and refunded automatically in the following cases: timely departure from the United States, non-use of the visa before expiration, or denial of admission at the port of entry.<\/p>\n
The Department of Homeland Security will determine whether a visa holder has breached the terms of the bond. The Department of State will refer cases of apparent noncompliance to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for review. Breach determinations may include overstaying the authorized period, remaining in the U.S. without departure, or attempting to adjust immigration status, including seeking asylum.<\/p>\n
The pilot program represents a targeted effort to address visa overstay concerns and ensure compliance with U.S. immigration regulations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The U.S. Department of State has announced that, beginning August 20, 2025, nationals of Malawi and Zambia will be subject to visa bond requirements under a pilot program established by a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) and authorized by Section 221(g)(3)…","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":346044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[235,313,76,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-346042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homepage-carousel","category-immigration","category-international-relations","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n