US Visa Bond Program Becomes Permanent: Impact on Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment
In This Article
Regulatory Snapshot
| Jurisdiction | Antigua and Barbuda; Dominica; Grenada; Vanuatu |
|---|---|
| Issuing authority | United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs |
| Instrument | Visa Bond Program final rule, 22 CFR 41.11(c), 91 FR 48757 (Document 2026-15726), superseding the Visa Bond Pilot Program, 90 FR 37378 (Document 2025-14826) |
| Announced | 3 August 2026 (final rule published); 5 August 2025 (original pilot rule) |
| Effective | 3 August 2026 |
| Applies to | Nationals of designated countries applying for B-1/B-2 visitor visas, including several Citizenship by Investment jurisdictions |
| Compliance deadline | Not applicable, the program is now a standing requirement with no expiry date |
| Status | Active, mandatory |
| Last verified | 8 August 2026 |
The US Department of State's B-1/B-2 visa bond program, first launched as a temporary pilot in August 2025, became a permanent regulation on 3 August 2026, raising the maximum bond to $20,000. The rule continues to treat Citizenship by Investment without a residency requirement as a factor bearing on a country's inclusion, and currently names four of NTL's core jurisdictions: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and Vanuatu.
Key Regulatory Takeaways
- The Visa Bond Program became permanent on 3 August 2026 under a final rule amending 22 CFR 41.11(c), replacing the 12-month pilot that ran from 20 August 2025 to 5 August 2026.
- Bond amounts rise from the pilot's $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 tiers to $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 under the permanent program, with $15,000 as the expected default.
- Visas issued under the program are now valid for three months single entry, three months multiple entry, or up to twelve months multiple entry depending on reciprocity, an improvement on the pilot's three-month single-entry-only terms.
- Admission periods improved: the pilot capped bonded travelers at 30 days, while the permanent rule allows CBP to grant the standard B-1/B-2 period at officer discretion.
- Filing for asylum or related humanitarian protection triggers bond forfeiture; USCIS may also treat an existing bond as a negative factor in change-of-status or extension adjudications.
- Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica were added to the country list on 21 January 2026; Vanuatu on the same date; Grenada on 2 April 2026. Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia are not on the list as of the most recent update.
- During the pilot, close to 20,000 visa applications required a bond, roughly half resulted in an actual payment, and pilot countries saw an 83 percent reduction in B-1/B-2 visa issuance in the first ten months.
- The maximum bond amount will adjust automatically for inflation starting 1 October 2027 and every seven years thereafter.
- There is no bond waiver application process; a waiver may only be granted at the discretion of the Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs in limited circumstances.
The Legal Mechanism: From Pilot to Permanent Program
The Department of State's authority to require visa bonds is not new. Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act has long authorized consular officers to require a bond from a B-1/B-2 applicant to help ensure timely departure, but Department guidance historically discouraged its use as cumbersome. That posture changed with the Visa Bond Pilot Program, effective 20 August 2025 for a twelve-month term. On 3 August 2026, the Department published a final rule making the program permanent, stating the pilot provided sufficient data to demonstrate its effectiveness, and codifying the bond requirement as a standing part of 22 CFR 41.11(c) rather than a time-limited experiment.
What Changed: Bond Amounts, Visa Validity, and the Citizenship by Investment Criterion
Several terms shifted, not all of them tightening. The bond ceiling rose from $15,000 to $20,000 ($10,000/$15,000/$20,000 tiers, $15,000 default). Visa validity improved from the pilot's single entry within three months to three months single or multiple entry, or up to twelve months multiple entry depending on reciprocity. Both versions restrict entry and exit to commercial airports and CBP Preclearance locations only.
One change favors the traveler and is easy to lose among the tighter provisions. The pilot capped admission at 30 days regardless of travel purpose. The permanent rule drops that cap: CBP will "generally admit the alien and grant the requested admission period," the same standard B-1/B-2 period an unbonded traveler would receive, at the officer's discretion.
The Citizenship by Investment criterion is worth reading carefully across both versions. The pilot's codified text explicitly listed "offering Citizenship by Investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement" as a qualifying basis. The permanent rule generalizes this into nationals of countries needing improvement in "the security of travel and civil documents, including in the granting of citizenship." The underlying concern appears unchanged, but the standalone CBI label is no longer spelled out the same way.
Jurisdiction-by-Jurisdiction Exposure
Four of NTL's Citizenship by Investment jurisdictions are currently named. Two others, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia, are not, a distinction worth stating plainly given how similar these programs are otherwise.
| Jurisdiction | Date added | On current list |
|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | 21 January 2026 | Yes |
| Dominica | 21 January 2026 | Yes |
| Grenada | 2 April 2026 | Yes |
| Vanuatu | 21 January 2026 | Yes |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Not applicable | No |
| Saint Lucia | Not applicable | No |
The list updates on a rolling basis, at least fifteen days' notice before a new country's requirement takes effect, immediate effect for removals. NTL will update this table if it changes for any jurisdiction in its portfolio.
Bond Breach, Asylum Claims, and Other Immigration Applications
The rule carries a consequence that matters for any bonded traveler considering a change of plans once in the US. Filing for asylum, withholding of removal, or related humanitarian protection on Form I-589 is a bond-breach event, meaning full forfeiture. Separately, timely filing for extension of stay or change of status is not itself a breach, but USCIS may still treat the existing bond as a negative discretionary factor in that adjudication. A bonded traveler seeking to extend or change status should expect the bond to work against them, even absent a technical breach.
What the Pilot Data Showed
The permanent rule discloses pilot figures explaining the shift to standing policy. Approximately 20,000 applications required a bond, close to half resulted in payment, for a temporary public cost of roughly $115 million, fully refundable on compliant departure. Pilot countries saw an 83 percent drop in B-1/B-2 issuance in the first ten months, and fewer than 50 overstays from the 50 pilot countries in that window, against a Fiscal Year 2024 baseline of 45,488, suggesting the bond deterred marginal applicants more than it collected fees.
Implications for Investors
For CBI investors from Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, or Vanuatu traveling to the US on a B-1 or B-2 visa, this rule means the bond, once framed as a temporary test, is now a durable feature of the process. Investors whose US travel is a stated priority should factor a potential $10,000 to $20,000 bond, the commercial-airport-only entry restriction, and the COS/EOS discretionary risk noted above into their planning, rather than assuming any of it lapses now that the pilot label is gone.
Investors whose primary objective is Schengen access, regional mobility, or general diversification rather than US travel are less directly affected, since the program applies only to US visitor visa applicants and does not touch the citizenship's underlying value. The current absence of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia from the list is a relevant, though not necessarily permanent, distinguishing factor for applicants weighing jurisdiction choice with US travel in mind.
A forward-looking note, not a reported plan: the rule confirms the Department's authority under INA 221(g)(3) extends to F student visas, with B-1/B-2-only scope reflecting an administrative choice, not a legal limit. DHS separately finalized a rule eliminating "duration of status" for F-1 and J-1 students, effective 15 September 2026. Neither rule announces a bond expansion to student visas. NTL flags the combination as worth watching, not a confirmed plan.
This policy shift highlights a critical principle in Citizenship by Investment evaluation: an investment decision should never rely solely on today's visa-free access list, as visa and entry policies remain sovereign decisions subject to change. The true benchmark is long-term strategic alignment with an investor's business and personal objectives, program stability, and core mobility requirements. Consequently, regulatory updates must always be assessed within the broader context of the program, rather than in isolation.
US Visa Bond Program FAQ
Is the US visa bond program still a pilot?
No. The Department of State made the program permanent through a final rule effective 3 August 2026, amending 22 CFR 41.11(c). The prior temporary final rule and its 12-month pilot period ran from 20 August 2025 to 5 August 2026.
How much is the US visa bond for Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and Vanuatu nationals?
Under the permanent program, consular officers may set the bond at $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000, with $15,000 as the expected default. This is higher than the pilot's $5,000 to $15,000 range.
Does Citizenship by Investment status still affect visa bond country selection?
The original pilot rule explicitly listed Citizenship by Investment obtained without a residency requirement as a qualifying criterion for a country's inclusion. The permanent rule's codified text generalizes this into a broader document-security and screening criterion covering "the granting of citizenship," without repeating the standalone CBI label used in the pilot text.
Are Saint Kitts and Nevis or Saint Lucia subject to the visa bond program?
Not as of the most recent update to the Department of State's country list. The list is updated on a rolling basis, and NTL will report any change affecting these jurisdictions.
Does the visa bond program affect Schengen or other non-US travel benefits of these citizenships?
No. The bond program governs eligibility and terms for US B-1/B-2 visitor visas only. It has no effect on Schengen access, UK access, or other visa-free travel benefits attached to these citizenships.
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About NTL International
NTL provides professional guidance and compliance support for global CBI and RBI programs. As a government-authorized agent in select jurisdictions, and supported by our legal team and specialized legal partners in select jurisdictions, NTL manages the entire application process, ensuring every application meets statutory requirements from initial assessment through final approval, working with local counsel for full compliance.
NTL's advisory team is briefing existing Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and Vanuatu clients on the practical effect of this US regulatory change and is available to discuss US travel planning alongside citizenship strategy for prospective applicants in these jurisdictions.
