Visa applicants from 50 countries, most of them in Africa, will be forced to pay up to $20,000 in bonds in a program that is now being made permanent. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration launched the Visa Bond Pilot Program last August, requiring certain tourist and business visa applicants to post refundable bonds intended to discourage them from overstaying their visas. Read More on NewsUnder the permanent program, consular officers may set bonds at $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 based on an applicant’s circumstances. That marks an increase from the pilot program, under which bonds were set at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. Which Countries Are Subject to Visa Bonds?