Starting April 2, Georgia will be among 12 new countries whose nationals will be required to post a bond of up to $15,000 before receiving B1 or B2 visas for business and tourism in the United States, the U.S. State Department announced on March 18.
The U.S. introduced the visa bond pilot program last year, as part of a temporary final rule (TFR) effective for 12 months from August 20, 2025, until August 5, 2026.
Under the pilot program, nationals of designated countries may be required to post a bond of USD 5,000, USD 10,000, or USD 15,000, depending on the applicant’s circumstances, with USD 10,000 as the standard amount. Consular officers may waive the bond requirement in limited cases, such as for travel by U.S. government officials or for urgent humanitarian reasons.
According to the State Department, the bond will be returned to visa recipients who return home in compliance with visa and bond terms or do not travel. The U.S. says the program is necessary to combat illegal overstays.
Under the pilot bond rules, all such applicants must enter and exit the U.S. through the designated ports, and are restricted from using charter air, general aviation, land, or sea ports of entry. Also, the visas under the pilot program are valid for a single entry within three months of the date of visa issuance, and the period of admission will be limited to 30 days.
Meanwhile, the deposit requirement will not apply to Georgian citizens who already hold valid B1/B2 visas, as the measure is not retroactive.
Alongside Georgia, the added group of countries includes Cambodia, Ethiopia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. 38 other countries that were covered with the bond requirements include Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Georgia is the only country from Europe or the South Caucasus on the list.
Earlier, in January, the U.S. also included Georgia among the 75 countries affected by the temporary suspension of U.S. immigrant visa issuance.
MFA Responds to U.S. Visa Measure
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry said on March 19 that a new U.S. requirement imposing a security deposit on non-immigrant visa applicants from Georgia is linked to a high rate of visa violations by Georgian nationals.
“The United States’ decision to introduce a security deposit requirement for issuing non-immigrant visas to Georgian citizens is, unfortunately, linked to the high rate of violations of U.S. visa policy by Georgian nationals, as explained by the U.S. side,” the ministry told reporters.
The ministry also cited the broader context of President Donald Trump’s stricter immigration policies, saying the measure “is also part of that tightened immigration approach.”
“We urge Georgian citizens to strictly comply with U.S. visa regulations and not violate the existing visa regime, which will enable Georgia to continue working with the American side on this issue,” the ministry concluded.
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