WASHINGTON – The United States has made its visa bond program permanent, allowing consular officers to require certain applicants for business and tourist visas to post a financial bond before receiving a visa. Four Caribbean countries are currently affected: Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Dominica and Grenada.
The permanent program was established through a final rule published by the U.S. Department of State on August 3, replacing a 12-month pilot program introduced in August 2025. The measure applies to certain applicants for B-1/B-2 visas, which are used for temporary business and tourism visits.
The permanent nature of the program does not mean that every country will remain on the list indefinitely or that every applicant from an affected country will necessarily face the same conditions. The State Department determines which nationalities are subject to the requirement based on criteria established under the program.
During the pilot, countries could be selected because of high B-1/B-2 visa overstay rates, deficiencies in screening and vetting information, or citizenship-by-investment programs that allow citizenship without a residency requirement.
The U.S. government says the program is intended to encourage visa holders to comply with the terms of their admission and leave the United States before their authorized stay expires.
Caribbean Countries Affected
Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba and Dominica became subject to visa bond requirements on January 21, 2026, while Grenada was added on April 2. The State Department’s published list also includes dozens of countries outside the Caribbean.
The latest permanent rule allows bonds that can reach as high as US$20,000, depending on the circumstances. The bond is not an additional visa application fee. It serves as a financial guarantee tied to compliance with the conditions of the visa and can be returned when those conditions are met, including timely departure from the United States.
The financial impact can nevertheless be substantial. According to the State Department, approximately 20,000 visa applications worldwide were determined to require bonds during the pilot period. Nearly half resulted in bonds actually being posted, temporarily tying up about US$115 million.
The government expects the number of applicants required to post bonds to remain relatively small compared with total worldwide B-1/B-2 visa issuance.
Could Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago or Guyana Be Next?
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana are not currently listed among the countries subject to the visa bond requirement. There is also no official announcement from Washington indicating that any of the three is about to be added.
Their absence, however, does not guarantee that they will remain outside the program. Because the visa bond system is now permanent, the State Department can continue determining which nationalities fall within its criteria.
This means future decisions could depend on factors including visa overstay statistics and U.S. assessments of screening and vetting cooperation. Citizenship-by-investment programs can also be considered under the framework.
The policy is part of a broader tightening of U.S. immigration and visa rules. Washington has introduced several changes affecting Caribbean countries during 2026, although those measures should not be confused with the visa bond program.
For example, Jamaica is among a much broader group of countries affected by a separate U.S. policy concerning immigrant visa issuance, while Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba and Dominica have also faced restrictions in other visa categories.
For now, therefore, there is no basis to conclude that Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago or Guyana are “next.” What has changed is that the visa bond mechanism itself is no longer temporary, giving Washington a permanent tool that could potentially be applied to additional countries in the future.
For Caribbean travelers, the development makes U.S. visa compliance increasingly important. Countries not currently covered will be watching closely to see whether Washington expands or changes the list as the permanent program develops.