The United States government has announced new travel restrictions that could require Nigerian applicants for B1/B2 business and tourist visas to post visa bonds of up to $15,000, further tightening entry conditions for travellers from Nigeria and several other countries.
Information published on the official website of the US Department of State, Travel.State.Gov, shows that the policy affects nationals of 38 countries, with African nations making up 24 of those listed. Nigeria is among the affected countries, with implementation scheduled to begin on January 21, 2026.
The US State Department stressed that the payment of a visa bond does not guarantee visa issuance and warned that any fees paid without the direct instruction of a consular officer will not be refunded.
Visa bonds are financial guarantees required by the US government for certain foreign nationals considered to be from high-risk countries who are otherwise eligible for B1/B2 visas, which cover short-term travel for business or tourism. Under the new directive, applicants may be required to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, with the final amount determined during the visa interview.
The directive states that any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of the listed countries, who is otherwise found eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of the specified amount. Applicants are also required to submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352 and formally agree to the bond conditions through the US Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov, regardless of where the visa application is submitted.
The US government further stated that visa holders who post bonds must enter the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
Refunds of the visa bond will only be made when the Department of Homeland Security confirms that the visa holder departed the United States on or before the expiration of their authorised stay, when the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or when a traveller applies for entry and is denied at a US port of entry. Failure to comply with visa conditions, including overstaying, could result in forfeiture of the bond.
Countries affected by the policy include Nigeria, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with implementation dates varying by country, while Nigeria’s begins on January 21, 2026.
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The development comes barely a week after the United States placed Nigeria under partial travel restrictions alongside 14 other mostly African countries on December 16. In Nigeria’s case, US authorities cited the activities of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, saying their presence in parts of the country has created substantial screening and vetting difficulties.
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The US government also pointed to Nigeria’s visa overstay rates, which it put at 5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visas, as justification for the restrictions. As a result, the earlier suspension affected both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant visa categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
