Business Immigration Insights

A temporary final rule initiating a 12-month pilot program requiring visitor visa bonds is set to go into effect on August 20^th.  This rule, authorized under INA 8 USC 1201(g)(3), allows consular officers to require a “Maintenance of Status and Departure Bond” (the "visa bond") for those applying for nonimmigrant visas. Historically, State Department guidance, as detailed in the Foreign Affairs Manual (“FAM”), has discouraged the use of visa bonds, suggesting they should be rarely employed.