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The U.S. Embassy in Namibia has clarified that a refundable visa bond of up to USD 15,000 (about N$250,000), introduced under a global pilot programme that began on 1 January 2026, applies only to business and tourist visas for travel to the United States.
The embassy said the bond requirement is limited to B1 (business) and B2 (tourism) visas and does not apply to other visa categories. Namibian students travelling on F or M visas, as well as participants in U.S. government-sponsored or other exchange programmes holding J visas, are not affected.
According to the embassy, the bond is not a visa fee but a refundable security measure aimed at reducing visa overstays. The bond is automatically cancelled and refunded once travellers meet all visa conditions, including leaving the United States on time and refraining from unauthorised employment.
Namibia is one of 38 countries included in the U.S. Department of State’s pilot programme. For Namibian applicants, the policy took effect on 1 January 2026. The bond amount—US$5,000, US$10,000 or USD 15,000—is determined by a consular officer during the visa interview.
Applicants required to post a bond must submit Form I-352 issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and make payment through the U.S. government’s Pay.gov system. The Department of State cautioned that paying a bond does not guarantee visa approval and that payments made without direct instruction from a consular officer are non-refundable.
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The U.S. Embassy in Namibia added that travellers subject to the bond must enter and leave the United States through designated ports of entry, including major international airports such as John F. Kennedy in New York, Washington Dulles, Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles International.
Failure to comply with visa bond conditions may result in forfeiture of the bond following a review by U.S. immigration authorities.