Planning a trip to US? Travel bans, visa bonds in United States explained

The US is tightening its borders again-not just through bans, but through cost and complexity.

If you or your family travel to the United States—or plan to study, work, or visit there—the start of 2026 brings major rule changes you should know about.

 

On 16 December 2025, the US administration signed a proclamation expanding travel restrictions from 19 to 39 countries, with the new rules coming into effect from 1 January 2026. Alongside this, the US has also widened a visa bond requirement that could make visiting the country significantly more expensive for travellers from several nations.

 

Here’s what it means in simple terms.

 

Two Types of Travel Bans: Full and Partial

 

Countries Under a Full Travel Ban

 

Citizens from 19 countries—including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, Haiti and others—will no longer be issued any US visas, whether for tourism, study, work or immigration.

 

In addition, people travelling on Palestinian Authority–issued travel documents are also barred from obtaining US visas.

 

 If you are a citizen of these countries and outside the US on 1 January 2026 without a valid visa, you will not be able to travel to the US.

 

"The proclamation suspends both immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuance for a total of 19 countries (Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burma, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) as well as for those traveling on Palestinian Authority-issued travel documents. Citizens from these countries will no longer be able to obtain a visa to the USA," explained Henley and Partners in a report.

 

Countries Under a Partial Travel Ban

 

It further places heavy restrictions on visa issuance to citizens from another 19 countries (Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe).

 

The proclamation suspends the issuance of immigrant and non-immigrant visas in the B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J categories. This includes standard business and tourism visas, student visas, and exchange visitor visas.

 

It further stipulates that the validity period of other types of visas issued to nationals from the above countries should be reduced to a single entry, for a maximum of three months.

 

For these travellers:

• Tourist (B-1/B-2), student (F, M) and exchange (J) visas are suspended
• Other visas, if granted, may be limited to single entry and valid for just three months
• This affects students, exchange programme participants, tourists and short-term business travellers the most.

 

Who Is Not Affected?

 

The proclamation is not retroactive.

 

You are not impacted if:

 

• You already hold a valid US visa as of 1 January 2026
• You are already inside the US
• You are a US permanent resident (green card holder)
• You hold dual nationality and travel using a passport from a non-restricted country
• You are travelling for major sporting events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup or Olympics
• You are a diplomat, government official, or fall under limited humanitarian or national-interest exemptions
• That said, even exempt travellers may face extra questioning at US airports, as entry is always at the discretion of border officers.

 

Does this affect Global Passport Rankings?

 

Interestingly, no.

 

Because the affected countries already required visas to enter the US, their Henley Passport Index scores remain unchanged. The index counts visa-free access, not whether visas are currently being issued.

 

"As none of the countries listed in the December 2025 travel ban had visa-free access to the USA, the ban does not affect their passports’ visa-free scores. When calculating visa-free scores, The Henley Passport Index does not apply a specific classification for travel bans. In this case, the affected passports continue to be classified as ‘visa required’, as holders would still need a visa to enter the USA, even if such visas are not currently available to them. Moreover, certain exceptions remain in place under which individuals from the listed countries may still be eligible to obtain a visa," said Henley and Partners in a statement.

 

What About India?

 

Indian passport holders are NOT part of the travel ban.

 

New Visa Bonds: A Big Cost Change for Some Travellers

 

The US is now asking visitors from selected countries to deposit a visa bond of up to USD 15,000 (₹12–13 lakh approx.) when applying for a B-1/B-2 tourist or business visa.

 

Countries added in January 2026 include:

 

Bangladesh

Nepal

Bhutan

Kyrgyzstan

Turkmenistan

Botswana

Namibia

…and many others

 

More countries—including several in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean—will be added later in January.

 

How the bond works:

 

Amount: $5,000 / 10,000 / 15,000, decided at the visa interview

 

Refundable only if you follow all rules

 

You must enter and exit through designated airports

 

The bond is forfeited if you overstay, apply for asylum, or change visa status

 

As explained by Henley & Partners: 

 

In addition to the proposed travel bans, the U.S. Department of State is nearly tripling the number of countries whose passport holders will be required to post visa bonds of up to$15,000 in order to apply for entry to the USA. The requirement is said to be based on risk factors such as high visa overstay rates and gaps in screening and vetting information.

 

The program was originally piloted in 2025, with travelers from The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, and Zambia requiring a visa bond. Seven additional countries were included on 1 January 2026: Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan, and a further 25 are set to be added on 21 January 2026: Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

 

The visa bond applies to citizens of designated countries who are applying for a B-1/B-2 (visitor) visa and who meet the usual eligibility requirements for that visa. These applicants need to post a bond of USD 5,000, USD 10,000, or USD 15,000, with the exact amount determined by a consular officer at the visa interview.

 

Once a bond has been posted, travelers must enter and leave the USA through designated ports of entry. Using a non-designated port may result in denial of entry or an improperly recorded departure, which could create problems for future US visa applications.

 

The visa bond is refunded once the Department of Homeland Security confirms that the traveler has complied with the terms of their stay. This includes departing the USA on time, not using the visa to travel, or being refused entry at the port of entry.

 

A bond may be forfeited if the traveler overstays, fails to depart as required, or seeks to change their immigration status while in the USA, including by applying for asylum.

 

What Travellers Should Do Now

 

If you’re planning US travel in 2026:

 

Check your country status carefully before booking

If eligible, apply early for visas

Be prepared for higher scrutiny at airports

If subject to visa bonds, factor the cost into your travel budget

Keep documentation watertight—entry decisions remain discretionary