US tightens travel rules, sets $15,000 visa bonds for Nigerian visitors

The United States has rolled out new travel measures that could force Nigerian applicants for B1/B2 business and tourist visas to post visa bonds of up to $15,000 as a condition for travel.

The policy, announced by the US State Department on Tuesday, applies to nationals of 38 countries considered high risk, with African nations accounting for 24 of those listed. Nigeria is among the affected countries, and the new bond requirement for Nigerians will take effect from January 21.

Visa bonds serve as financial guarantees to ensure that visitors comply with the terms of their stay in the United States. Under the new rules, Nigerians found otherwise eligible for B1/B2 visas may be required to pay bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, depending on the assessment made during their visa interview.

According to the State Department, applicants must also submit Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and complete payment through the US Treasury’s Pay.gov platform. Officials warned that paying fees without the direction of a consular officer does not guarantee visa approval and that such payments will not be refunded.

Nigerian visa holders who post bonds will be restricted to entering the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Refunds of the visa bonds will only be issued if US authorities confirm that the traveller left the country on or before the authorised date of stay, if the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or if the traveller is denied admission at a US port of entry.

The latest restrictions come just days after the US government imposed partial travel suspensions on Nigeria and 14 other countries, most of them in Africa. The affected countries include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon and The Gambia.

In explaining Nigeria’s inclusion, US authorities cited the activities of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in parts of the country, which they said create serious screening and vetting challenges. The US also pointed to visa overstay rates of 5.56 percent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 percent for F, M and J visas.

The partial travel suspension, which took effect on January 1, covers both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J visas, further tightening travel options for Nigerian nationals.