The State Department has launched a public charge bond pilot program for immigrant visa applicants, offering a potential path forward for those who may not meet the public charge ground of admissibility. Learn what this program could mean for your visa process.
The State Department has finalized a permanent B-1/B-2 visa bond program, converting a pilot initiative into a standing requirement. Consular officers may now condition visa issuance on bonds up to $20,000 to ensure applicants maintain status and depart on time.
In Matter of Z-N-L-, decided March 12, 2026, the Board of Immigration Appeals reversed an Immigration Judge’s $7,500 bond order, finding that conflicting state residence records and an unverified sponsor demonstrated the respondent’s flight risk under the immigration bond standard.
