Nationals from five Pacific Islands Forum member states will be required to pay a visa bond of up to US$20,000 before travelling to the United States as temporary visitors, after the Trump administration confirmed the measure will become permanent.
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu remain on the list of countries affected under the United States’ Visa Bond Program, which was first introduced as a pilot in August 2025 to reduce visa overstays.
The United States Department of State said the programme would continue to apply to certain business and tourist visa applicants from countries identified as having high visa overstay rates or deficiencies in identity verification, information sharing and travel document security.
Under the new rules, eligible applicants may be required to lodge a refundable bond of US$10,000, US$15,000 or up to US$20,000 before being granted a B1/B2 visitor visa. The previous US$5,000 bond option has been removed, while the maximum bond has increased from US$15,000 to US$20,000.
According to the federal notice, consular officers may require a bond from applicants from designated countries where there are concerns about visa compliance, screening and vetting standards, or the security of civil and travel documents.
The US Government said the programme had proved to be “an effective tool for reducing overstayers” and would now become a permanent feature of its visa system.
The programme affects more than 50 countries, most of them in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
The final rule is scheduled to take effect following its publication in the US Federal Register, formalising the visa bond requirement for affected countries.
While the bond is refundable if travellers comply with the conditions of their visa and depart the United States on time, critics have argued the policy creates an additional financial barrier for legitimate visitors.
The United States has not announced any exemption for the five Pacific Island nations included in the programme.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
