The new rules, set to take effect on January 21, 2026, are part of a visa bond pilot programme aimed at reducing rates of visa overstays. Under the policy, passport holders from Uganda and other listed countries may be required to pay a bond of $5,000 (Rwf 7.2 million), $10,000 (Rwf 15 million), or $15,000 (Rwf 22 million), depending on a consular officer's assessment during the visa interview.
The requirement applies to B‑1/B‑2 visas, which cover short‑term business and tourist travel, and will be implemented through the US Treasury's online payment platform. Applicants will only be instructed to pay if directed by a consular officer and must not use third-party websites, as payments made outside official channels are non-refundable.
'Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000,' the State Department notice reads.
Paying the bond does not guarantee that a visa will be approved. It is refundable if the visa is denied or if the traveller follows all visa conditions, including leaving the US on time. Authorities caution, however, that the bond may be forfeited if a traveller overstays, fails to depart as required, or attempts to change their immigration status.
Broad policy expansion
Uganda is among dozens of countries newly subject to the bond requirement, which now covers nations across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Other African countries affected include Angola, Benin, Burundi, Gabon, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, and Zimbabwe, alongside previously listed nations such as Botswana, the Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, and Zambia.
From Asia, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, and Tajikistan have been added, while Cuba, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Venezuela represent the Caribbean and Latin American region on the list.
Officials say the broader visa bond initiative forms part of a series of tightened controls under the current US administration, which also includes mandatory in‑person interviews and expanded scrutiny of applicants' social media use, travel history, and personal circumstances.
The new bond requirement is expected to significantly increase the cost of visiting the United States for many Ugandans, placing it well above standard visa fees and potentially making travel prohibitive for ordinary applicants.
According to statistics for 2025, around 5.9 percent of Ugandans relocated to North America in the past decade, though it is unclear how many travelled through legal channels. There are an estimated 15,000 Ugandan immigrants living in the US based on consolidated data from 2017â€"2025.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
