$15,000 For A US Visa? Trump Admin’s New Bond Rule Hits Bangladeshis Hard From Jan 21—What You Need To Know

US aspirants in Bangladesh will have to pay a bond of up to $15,000 to apply for entry into the country. The latest move the President Donald Trump adminration will come into effect from January 21 and the US Embassy in Dhaka said the mandate applies to the Bangladeshis approved for a B1/B2 (business/tour) visa.In a post on X, the Embassy said, “Starting January 21, 2026, all Bangladeshis approved for a B1/B2 (business/tour) U.S. visa must pay a bond of up to $15,000. This requirement does not apply to people holding a valid B1/B2 visa issued before January 21, 2026.”
“Do NOT pay your bond in advance. Paying early does not guarantee you a visa, and third-party sites can be scams. Any payment made before your interview is NOT refundable. The bond will be returned if you respect the terms of your visa,” the post read.
It should be noted that while payment of the bond does not guarantee a visa, the amount will be refunded if the visa is denied or when a visa holder demonstrates they have complied with the terms of the visa.

Starting January 21, 2026, all Bangladeshis approved for a B1/B2 (business/tour) U.S. visa must pay a bond of up to $15,000. This requirement does not apply to people holding a valid B1/B2 visa issued before January 21, 2026.
Do NOT pay your bond in advance. Paying early… pic.twitter.com/c7CMmJxQmt
— U.S. Embassy Dhaka (@usembassydhaka) January 19, 2026
Countries facing US visa bond norms
Bangladesh is one among the 38 countries the US has demanded the payment of bonds as part of its measures to tighten requirements for entry into the US. The move may make the process of immigration to the US unaffordable for many in the South Asian country.
Apart from Bangladesh, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela and Zimbabwe were included in the second l of countries.

38
Countries Face Higher US Visa Fees

Algeria
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Bangladesh
Benin
Bhutan
Botswana
Burundi
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Cuba
Djibouti
Dominica
Fiji
Gabon
Gambia
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Ivory Coast
Kyrgyzstan
Malawi
Mauritania
Namibia
Nepal
Nigeria
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Tajikan
Tanzania
Togo
Tonga
Turkmenan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Indian Express InfoGenIE

Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Turkmenan and Zambia were among the countries in the previous l.
Why US introduced visa bond
The Republican Party-led government had said the bonds sought to curb visitors from overstaying their visas intended for tourism or business purposes. Since Trump took over the presidency, he has been implementing a hard-line immigration policy and had earlier come forth with procedures such as in-person interviews and disclosure of social media hory for years and provision of detailed accounts of their and their families’ previous travel and living arrangements to obtain a visa for entry to the country.Story continues below this ad
While Trump and his supporters say the policies seek to improve domestic security, human rights groups have criticised the immigration and travel-related policies, arguing that they curb due process guarantees and free speech.