Togo passport holders face $10,000-$20,000 US visa bond from 21 January 2026

Travellers from 50 countries, including Togo and Nigeria, must lodge a cash bond of up to $20,000 when applying for certain United States visitor visas. The US Department of State set out the scheme, the affected nationalities and each country's start date in a notice published on 2 October 2026. Passport holders in Togo come under the requirement from 21 January 2026.

Key facts

• The measure applies to eligible applicants for B-1 business and B-2 tourist visas travelling on passports issued by the listed countries.
• Bond amounts are $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000, with the figure set by a consular officer during the visa interview.
• The requirement applies regardless of where an applicant submits their visa application.
• Bonds are lodged on Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 through the US Department of the Treasury's Pay.gov platform.
• Paying a bond does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.

Which travellers are affected?

The programme covers applicants who are otherwise eligible for B-1 business or B-2 tourist visas and who hold passports from the 50 countries listed by the Department of State. It operates under Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Nigerian citizens applying for these visa categories may be asked to post a bond of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000. The same tiers apply to the other nationalities on the list.

Which countries are covered, and from when?

The Department of State published the following countries and implementation dates:

• Malawi — 20 August 2025
• Zambia — 20 August 2025
• The Gambia — 11 October 2025
• Mauritania — 23 October 2025
• São Tomé and Príncipe — 23 October 2025
• Tanzania — 23 October 2025
• Bhutan — 1 January 2026
• Botswana — 1 January 2026
• Central African Republic — 1 January 2026
• Guinea — 1 January 2026
• Guinea-Bissau — 1 January 2026
• Namibia — 1 January 2026
• Turkmenistan — 1 January 2026
• Algeria — 21 January 2026
• Angola — 21 January 2026
• Antigua and Barbuda — 21 January 2026
• Bangladesh — 21 January 2026
• Benin — 21 January 2026
• Burundi — 21 January 2026
• Cabo Verde — 21 January 2026
• Côte d'Ivoire — 21 January 2026
• Cuba — 21 January 2026
• Djibouti — 21 January 2026
• Dominica — 21 January 2026
• Fiji — 21 January 2026
• Gabon — 21 January 2026
• Kyrgyz Republic — 21 January 2026
• Nepal — 21 January 2026
• Nigeria — 21 January 2026
• Senegal — 21 January 2026
• Tajikistan — 21 January 2026
• Togo — 21 January 2026
• Tonga — 21 January 2026
• Tuvalu — 21 January 2026
• Uganda — 21 January 2026
• Vanuatu — 21 January 2026
• Venezuela — 21 January 2026
• Zimbabwe — 21 January 2026
• Cambodia — 2 April 2026
• Ethiopia — 2 April 2026
• Georgia — 2 April 2026
• Grenada — 2 April 2026
• Lesotho — 2 April 2026
• Mauritius — 2 April 2026
• Mongolia — 2 April 2026
• Mozambique — 2 April 2026
• Nicaragua — 2 April 2026
• Papua New Guinea — 2 April 2026
• Seychelles — 2 April 2026
• Tunisia — 2 April 2026

How is the bond paid?

Applicants submit Department of Homeland Security Form I-352 and accept the bond's terms through the US Department of the Treasury's Pay.gov platform. The Department of State warns applicants not to pay a bond until a consular officer has instructed them to do so, and to use only the payment link provided in those official instructions.

The applicant or a third party — a relative, friend or business associate — may fund the bond. However, the name of the person shown as the bond obligor on Form I-352 must match the name of the person who makes the payment.

What travel rules come with the bond?

Bond holders must enter and leave the United States through designated commercial air ports of entry, including US Customs and Border Protection preclearance locations. They may not use charter aircraft, general aviation, land borders or sea ports of entry under the stated bond conditions.

The Department of State notes that failing to follow these entry and exit requirements could cause problems with admission or with the recording of a traveller's departure.

When is the bond refunded?

The bond is refundable under the programme's terms if its conditions are met. The Department of State says a bond may be cancelled and the deposit returned automatically in cases including where the visa expires and the holder has not travelled to the United States, and where the holder complied with the visa conditions and departed as required.

What this means for travellers

Citizens of the 50 listed countries who plan a business trip or holiday in the United States should check their nationality's implementation date before applying, and budget for a possible bond of up to $20,000 on top of the visa application. The amount is decided at the interview, so applicants cannot know in advance which tier applies.

Anyone asked to post a bond should wait for instructions from a consular officer, complete Form I-352 and pay through the link supplied, and remember that the bond obligor and the payer must be the same person. Bond holders should plan their journey around commercial air travel, since other routes are excluded under the conditions.

For travellers in Togo, the requirement takes effect on 21 January 2026. The Department of State's notice of 2 October 2026 sets out the countries, dates and conditions; the source report does not state whether further nationalities may be added.