Bangladeshi nationals must now post bonds between USD 5,000-USD 15,000 per person to obtain United States business and tourist visas, following Trump administration's new policy effective from 21st January 2026.

State Department added Bangladesh to a list of 38 countries whose citizens face mandatory financial deposits for B1/B2 visa applications. Bond amount will be determined by consular officers during visa interviews based on individual overstay risk assessments.

Policy creates substantial financial barriers for Bangladeshi travellers. Family of four seeking tourist visas could face combined bond requirements up to USD 60,000, making travel prohibitively expensive for middle-income families.

"Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1 or B2 visa, must post a bond," State Department website stated. However, posting bonds does not guarantee visa approval.

Applicants must submit Department of Homeland Security's Form I-352 and complete payments through US Treasury's Pay.gov platform. State Department warned against unauthorised payments, stating these will not be refunded.

Bonds will be automatically refunded if travellers depart United States before authorised stay expires or if visa applications are denied. However, bonds may be forfeited for overstays, failure to depart, or asylum applications.

Successful applicants face additional restrictions including single entry, maximum 30-day stays, and mandatory use of three designated airports: Boston Logan International, John F Kennedy International and Washington Dulles International.

US government justifies the programme as necessary to deter visa overstays from countries with high violation rates, citing Department of Homeland Security data.

Source: US State Department, US Embassy Dhaka