The United States is transitioning its visa deposit program for citizens of certain countries from pilot to permanent status starting August 3. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The program applies to applicants for tourist and business visas in categories B-1, B-2, and B-1/B-2.
Which countries are included?
The list includes Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Kazakhstan is not included in this list.
What is the deposit amount?
According to the final rule of the US State Department, a consular officer may set a deposit of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000, depending on the applicant's circumstances. The base amount is assumed to be $15,000, but it can be reduced or increased.
Purpose of the program
The program applies to citizens of countries with high rates of overstaying their authorized period of stay in the US, insufficient information exchange, problems with identity and criminal record checks, and security of travel and civil documents. The list of participants is published on the State Department's website and may be updated. A new country must be added at least 15 days before the requirements take effect for its citizens.
How is the deposit refunded?
The deposit becomes a condition for visa issuance. The money will be refunded if the traveler does not use the visa or complies with the terms of stay and leaves the US in a timely manner through a commercial airport. In case of a significant violation of visa requirements, the entire amount may be withheld.
Visa validity and restrictions
Visas issued under the program may be for single or multiple entries, valid from three months to one year. Their holders will be allowed to enter and leave the US only through commercial airports — crossing a land or sea border does not meet the deposit conditions.
Results
According to the State Department, 50 countries were included in the pilot program. In the first ten months, the number of overstays among participants dropped from 45,488 recorded in fiscal year 2024 to fewer than 50. At the same time, the number of visas issued to citizens of these countries decreased by 83%.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that obtaining a US visa for Kazakhstani citizens remains a complex and unpredictable process: the adjusted refusal rate for tourist and business visas reaches 51.75%. The average wait for an interview in Almaty is about 45 days, in Astana — up to 90 days, and the consular fee is $185. Visa specialists also warned that fake certificates, fictitious bookings, and concealment of past refusals can lead to a multi-year entry ban.