Bangladesh added to US visa bond scheme requiring payments of up to $15,000

Bangladesh has been added to a list of countries whose citizens are required to post a visa bond of up to $15,000 in order to travel to the United States.

Under the policy, applicants from listed countries who are otherwise eligible for B1/B2 visitor visas may be asked to pay a refundable bond before entry is granted.

The US State Department expanded the list on Tuesday, adding another 25 countries, including Bangladesh, according to Channel News Asia.

The newly covered countries also include Nepal, Nigeria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Cuba and several African and Pacific island nations. The requirement for the latest additions will take effect from Jan 21.

The policy allows US authorities to require bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, with the amount determined at the time of the visa interview, the State Department said. The bond is intended to ensure compliance with US visa conditions.

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, according to the State Department.

Applicants must agree to the bond terms and make payment through the US Treasury Department’s online platform, Pay.gov.

Bangladesh’s inclusion comes less than a week after the US expanded the scheme to cover several other countries, bringing the total number subject to the policy to 38.

The expanded list also includes Venezuela, whose former leader Nicolas Maduro was seized by US forces over the weekend and brought to New York, a development that has drawn international attention.