The United States Embassy in Dhaka has warned Bangladeshi applicants not to pay any bond before attending their interview, as a new requirement for B1/B2 (business and tourist) visas comes into force from Wednesday.
The embassy said on Monday that advance payment of a bond does not guarantee a visa and cautioned applicants against third-party websites that may be fraudulent, reports bdnews24.com.
"Do not pay your bond before your interview. Paying early does not guarantee a visa, and third-party websites can be scams," a notice read.
"Any payment made before the interview is not refundable. The bond will be returned if the terms of the visa are respected," it added.
Under the new rule, Bangladeshi nationals approved for B1/B2 (business and tourist) visas may be required to deposit a visa bond of up to $15,000.
The requirement will take effect from Jan 21, 2026, and will not apply to holders of valid B1/B2 visas issued before that date.
The US recently updated a list of countries whose citizens may be required to pay a visa bond for business and tourist travel, adding Bangladesh to the list.
Depending on the assessment at the visa interview, eligible applicants may have to pay a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000.
At current exchange rates, the maximum bond would amount to about Tk 1.83 million.
Applicants will need to agree to the bond conditions and make payments through the US Treasury Department's online platform -- pay.gov.
The bond amount will be determined at the time of the interview and is refundable if the visa is refused or if the applicant complies with all visa conditions, including leaving the US within the authorised period.
Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain described Bangladesh's inclusion in the list as "very painful and unfortunate" but said it was not unexpected.
"This decision is not limited to Bangladesh alone; several countries are included," he said.
"Those facing immigration problems are on the list. US statistics show Bangladeshis top the list of people drawing money from the social system there. So Bangladesh being included does not seem abnormal to me."
Days after Bangladesh was added to the non-immigrant visa bond list, the US government announced another restrictive move, declaring on Wednesday that immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, including Bangladesh and Pakistan, would be suspended from January 21.
The visa bond initiative for business and tourist visas is a pilot project aimed at preventing overstays.
