The United States has introduced new travel restrictions requiring Nigerians applying for B1/B2 visas for business and tourism to post bonds of up to $15,000, a measure set to take effect in Nigeria on January 21, 2026.
According to information published on the US Department of State’s website, Travel.State.Gov, the payment of a bond does not guarantee visa issuance, adding that fees paid without the direction of a consular officer will not be refunded.
Visa bonds are financial guarantees demanded by the US State Department from certain nationals of “high-risk” countries.
24 African countries were listed among 38 nations worldwide on the updated list, including Nigeria, according to the State Department notice released on Tuesday.
“Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.
“The applicant must also submit Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and agree to the bond terms via the Treasury’s Pay.gov platform. A bond does not guarantee visa issuance, and fees paid without consular direction are non-refundable,” the notice states.
The implementation dates vary by country, with Nigeria’s date set for January 21, 2026.
The Department of State said nationals from the listed countries have been identified as requiring visa bonds, with implementation dates shown in parentheses.
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Countries affected include Algeria (21 January 2026), Angola (21 January 2026), Antigua and Barbuda (21 January 2026), Bangladesh (21 January 2026), Benin (21 January 2026), Bhutan (1 January 2026), Botswana (1 January 2026), Burundi (21 January 2026), Cabo Verde (21 January 2026), Central African Republic (1 January 2026), Côte d’Ivoire (21 January 2026), Cuba (21 January 2026), Djibouti (21 January 2026), Dominica (21 January 2026).
Others are; Fiji (21 January 2026), Gabon (21 January 2026), The Gambia (11 October 2025), Guinea (1 January 2026), Guinea-Bissau (1 January 2026), Kyrgyzstan (21 January 2026), Malawi (20 August 2025), Mauritania (23 October 2025), Namibia (1 January 2026), Nepal (21 January 2026).
The rest are; Nigeria (21 January 2026), São Tomé and Príncipe (23 October 2025), Senegal (21 January 2026), Tajikistan (21 January 2026), Tanzania (23 October 2025), Togo (21 January 2026), Tonga (21 January 2026), Turkmenistan (1 January 2026), Tuvalu (21 January 2026), Uganda (21 January 2026), Vanuatu (21 January 2026), Venezuela (21 January 2026), Zambia (20 August 2025), and Zimbabwe (21 January 2026).
The notice revealed that visa holders who post bonds must enter the US through designated airports such as Boston Logan, JFK in New York, and Washington Dulles.
Bonds will be refunded only when the Department of Homeland Security confirms the visa holder’s departure, the visa expires without travel, or admission is denied at the port of entry.
This development follows partial US travel restrictions on Nigeria, which took effect on December 16, 2025, alongside 14 other mostly African countries. The US cited security concerns, including the activities of radical groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS in parts of Nigeria, as well as high overstay rates on Nigerian visas.
The partial suspension covers immigrant and non-immigrant visas, including B1, B2, B1/B2, F, M, and J categories, and took effect from January 1, 2026.
