Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepali citizens applying for B1 or B2 U.S. visas will be required to post visa bonds of up to $15,0000 to obtain U.S. visitor visas from January 21 onwards.
The provision will apply to citizens of 38 countries. Along with Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh are the other South Asian nations on the list.
“Any citizen or national traveling 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 Department of State said in a notice published on its webpage on Tuesday.
According to the notice, applicants will have to submit a Department of Homeland Security immigration bond form, known as Form I-352, upon receiving instructions from their consular officer. Payments have to be made by using the U.S. Treasury Department’s official platform—pay.gov.
However, posting a bond does not guarantee visa issuance. Visa approval will continue to depend on the interview, supporting documents, and the stated purpose of travel, U.S. authorities emphasized.
The U.S. government has designated only three airports for entry and exit for B1 and B2 visa holders: Boston Logan (BOS), New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK), and Washington Dulles (IAD).
According to U.S. authorities, the measure is primarily aimed at controlling the problem of visa overstays. In recent years, data showed that a significant number of B1 and B2 visa holders from South Asian countries failed to leave the United States within their authorized period of stay. Data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security show that countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan have consistently appeared on the list of nations with high overstay rates. As a result, the U.S. has categorized these countries as part of a “risk group” and is seeking to ensure traveler accountability through the security bond system.
The bond will be refunded if the visa holder travels to the United States and leaves the country within the authorized period, or if the visa holder does not travel to the U.S. at all during the visa’s validity. The bond will also be refunded in cases where a visa is issued, but the traveler is denied entry at a U.S. port of entry.
Along with the bond requirement, the U.S. government has designated only three airports for entry and exit for B1 and B2 visa holders: Boston Logan (BOS), New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK), and Washington Dulles (IAD). Entry into or departure from the United States through any other airport will not be permitted under this system.
