The United States Department of State has finalised a rule that turns its controversial “visa-bond” pilot programme into a standing feature of B-1/B-2 visa processing. Effective 3 August 2026, consular officers at selected posts may require travellers from 50 high-overstay-risk countries to lodge refundable bonds of US $10,000-20,000 before a visitor visa can be issued. The measure, first tested in 2025, was justified by the State Department as “an additional compliance tool” to deter long-term overstays. The final rule keeps the ceiling at $20,000, expands discretionary authority for consuls, and removes the 5 August 2026 sunset clause. India is notably absent from the initial list of 50 countries, which focuses on parts of Africa, the Caribbean and Oceania with persistent overstay rates above 10 percent. However, the Department has made clear that the roster will be reviewed annually and could be widened if overstay data shifts. Indian nationals therefore escape an immediate new cost burden, but corporate mobility managers are already modelling “what-if” scenarios in case India is later added – a non-trivial possibility given the large B-1 traffic generated by the IT services sector. For Indian companies, the change has several practical implications. First, it may lengthen visa adjudication times at busy consulates that now have to process bond paperwork. Second, group movements involving third-country nationals may suddenly attract bonds, complicating travel budgets. Third, there is reputational exposure: a future Indian listing would create the perception that Indian travellers pose a compliance risk, a narrative mobility teams will want to counter with robust travel-policy enforcement. Mobility practitioners should update stakeholder briefings, watch for forthcoming Federal Register notices that will specify the exact bond-eligible nationalities each fiscal year, and remind travellers that—notwithstanding India’s current exemption—strict adherence to permitted stay periods remains the best defence against future inclusion.
