Staff Reporter

Zimbabwean nationals planning to visit the United States for business or tourism will face a massive new financial hurdle starting this month, as the US Department of State implements a pilot program requiring visa bonds of up to US$15,000.

The measure, which takes effect on January 21, 2026, targets countries with high rates of visa overstays.

Zimbabwe is among 25 additional nations recently added to the pilot, joining several other African, Asian, and Latin American countries in a move the US says is designed to ensure foreign visitors return home on time.

Under the new policy, US consular officers have the discretion to require B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourism) visa applicants to post a refundable bond.

The bond amounts are tiered based on the individual’s assessed risk, US$5,000, US$10,000 or US$15,000.

In a statement on its official website, the State Department emphasized that the payment of a bond does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.

“If someone pays fees without a consular officer’s direction, the fees will not be returned,” the Department warned, advising applicants only to pay through the official Pay.gov portal after being specifically instructed to do so during their interview.

The bond is designed as a financial guarantee which will be automatically cancelled and the funds returned if the traveler departs the United States on or before the expiration of their authorized stay, does not travel to the US before the visa expires or is denied entry at a US port of entry despite having the visa.

However, failure to comply with the terms of the visa, primarily overstaying the permitted duration, will result in the total forfeiture of the bond.

Zimbabwe is not alone in facing these new restrictions.

The pilot program, which was expanded this week, now includes a total of 38 countries, including regional neighbors like Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, and Namibia.

The US government maintains that the program is a necessary diplomatic tool to encourage foreign governments to improve their screening and vetting processes and to reduce the burden of illegal immigration.