US Permanently Implements Financial Guarantees for Business and Tourist Visas
The US Department of State has announced that it will permanently implement a financial guarantee program for business and tourist visas. Under this measure, citizens from 50 countries may be required to pay a financial guarantee of up to $20,000 to obtain a visa.
According to a notice published in the Federal Register, cited by Reuters, the regulation applies to B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourist) visas. Consular officers can, at their discretion, require eligible applicants to post a financial guarantee before issuing the visa.
The US Department of State stated that a pilot phase of this program was conducted in 2025, and claimed that results showed that the financial guarantees helped prevent overstaying and enhanced compliance with visa conditions.
During the pilot stage, guarantee amounts were set at $5,000, $10,000, and a maximum of $15,000; however, the new regulation removes the $5,000 option and raises the maximum guarantee to $20,000.
This regulation will take effect on August 3, 2026, coinciding with its official publication in the Federal Register. The list of affected countries includes 50 nations, 30 of which are located in Africa.
Meanwhile, immigrant rights advocates have warned that this measure could make legitimate travel to the United States more difficult and may discourage some individuals from applying for visas.
