New applicants from Bangladesh who are approved for B1/B2 business and tourist visas will now be required to post a security bond of up to 15,000 US dollars, according to an announcement by the US Embassy in Dhaka. The new requirement will come into effect from January 21, 2026, and will apply only to visas approved on or after that date.
The embassy clarified that Bangladeshi nationals who already hold valid B1/B2 visas issued before January 21, 2026, will not be affected by this rule. The bond condition will be imposed only after a visa has been approved following the interview process.
In its advisory, the embassy strongly cautioned applicants against making any advance payments. It warned that paying a bond before the visa interview does not improve the chances of approval and may expose applicants to fraud. The embassy noted that several third-party websites claiming to facilitate advance bond payments are likely to be scams and stressed that any money paid before the interview would not be refundable.
Officials explained that the bond will be collected only after a visa is granted and will be refunded if params the visa holder complies fully with the terms and conditions of their stay in the United States. Applicants were urged to rely solely on official sources for information and to avoid unauthorised agents or online platforms.
The move is part of a pilot programme introduced by the US Department of State, under which nationals of 38 countries may be asked to post a visa bond when applying for B1/B2 visas. Bangladesh is among the countries included in this list, along with nations from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific such as Nigeria, Nepal, Bhutan, Cuba, Senegal, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
Under the programme, otherwise eligible applicants travelling on passports issued by these countries may be required to post a bond of 5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 US dollars. The exact amount will be determined by consular officers during the visa interview, based on individual assessments.
