The US State Department has decided to make its $20,000 visa bond programme permanent after first testing it as a pilot scheme. The move turns a temporary measure into a standing part of US visa policy and signals that officials consider the programme successful enough to continue.
The policy appears to apply only to selected countries rather than all visa applicants. According to the report, India is not included on the 50-country list linked to the programme, meaning Indian applicants are not part of this latest expansion.
While the trimmed report does not provide the full operational details, the decision suggests the US is broadening a visa-related system that had initially been introduced on a trial basis. Making the programme permanent also gives the State Department more continuity in how it handles applicants covered under the measure.
For travelers and families following US immigration and visa updates, the main takeaway is that the bond programme is no longer temporary and that India remains outside the current group of 50 countries. Further guidance from US authorities would be needed to clarify how the permanent system will be applied in practice.
