Ugandans planning short visits to the United States will soon need to pay a large refundable security deposit before getting a visa, following a new decision by the U.S. government aimed at reducing visa overstays.
According to a notice published on Travel.State.gov on January 6, the United States has added Uganda to a group of countries whose citizens must post a visa bond when applying for B1/B2 visas, which are commonly used for tourism and business travel. The new rule will apply from January 21, 2026.
Under the arrangement, Ugandan applicants may be required to deposit $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, depending on an assessment made by a U.S. consular officer during the visa interview. The bond is refundable, but only if the traveller follows all visa conditions.
Uganda is among more than 40 countries — mainly in Africa, the Caribbean and parts of Asia — included in a pilot programme designed to discourage visitors from overstaying their visas. The decision is based on overstay statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The U.S. State Department said the bond requirement applies to Ugandan nationals “regardless of where they apply” for the visa.
How the bond system works
The visa bond is not a replacement for standard visa application fees, nor does it guarantee that a visa will be approved. Applicants must first qualify for the visa under existing rules. Only after that can a consular officer instruct them to pay the bond using Form I-352 through the official Pay.gov system. Any payment made without formal instruction will not be refunded.
Those who pay the bond must also accept additional conditions. Ugandan travellers under this programme will be required to enter and leave the United States through only three airports: Boston Logan International Airport, New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport. U.S. authorities say this is meant to improve tracking of arrivals and departures.
If a traveller leaves the U.S. on time or does not travel at all, the bond will be cancelled and the money refunded automatically. However, if the traveller overstays, fails to leave, or applies to change their immigration status — including seeking asylum — the bond may be forfeited after a review by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
What it means for Ugandans
The new rule adds a heavy financial burden for Ugandans hoping to visit the U.S., on top of existing costs such as visa fees, airfare and proof of financial means. At current exchange rates, a $15,000 bond translates into tens of millions of shillings, putting U.S. travel out of reach for many ordinary travellers, students’ families and small business owners.
The move comes as Washington tightens migration controls worldwide while trying to maintain access for travellers who comply with visa rules. The State Department says Uganda’s inclusion is based on B1/B2 visa overstay rates recorded in official U.S. data.
By Tuesday evening, Ugandan authorities had not issued an official response. However, travel agents and education consultants in Kampala warned that the policy is likely to reduce interest in U.S. travel, especially among first-time visitors.
From January 21, 2026, Ugandan passport holders will officially fall under the new visa bond requirement, joining other African countries such as Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe already affected by the policy.
