Home » America Travel News » Namibia Joins Tanzania, Guinea, Malawi, Zambia, And More Nations In Struggling With US Visa Hurdles As Security Bonds Are Enforced
Published on
January 6, 2026
Namibia joins Tanzania, Guinea, Malawi, Zambia, and more nations in facing significant travel challenges as the US government expands its visa bond requirements. This new policy, effective January 1, 2026, mandates that applicants from select countries post security bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 in order to apply for a US visa. The expansion of this requirement, which now includes seven additional countries, disproportionately impacts travelers from low-income nations, making US visas prohibitively expensive for many. While the US government argues that the bond helps prevent visa overstays, the policy places a considerable financial burden on applicants, further complicating access to the United States for citizens of these nations.
The United States government has recently expanded a policy that requires visa applicants from certain countries to post security bonds ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 before they can enter the country. This significant development has added seven new nations to the list of affected countries, most of which are located in Africa, including Namibia. The introduction of this policy has placed additional travel obstacles in the way of thousands of potential travelers, making US visas prohibitively expensive for many applicants. The United States argues that the bond requirement helps deter visa overstays, but its impact on travelers is undeniable, as it increases the financial burden on individuals hoping to visit the US.
The new rule, effective from January 1, 2026, has sparked concern among travelers, visa applicants, and governments alike. Here, we will explore the expanded policy, the countries affected, the potential ramifications for travelers, and the broader implications for US immigration policy.
US Visa Bond Requirement: A Growing Challenge
Under the Trump administration, the United States has taken significant steps to tighten its immigration and visa policies, and the expansion of the visa bond requirement is part of this broader trend. The bond is intended to serve as a deterrent against visa overstays, which have been a persistent issue for the US immigration system. By requiring applicants to post a bond, the government aims to ensure that individuals will leave the US before their visa expires, under the assumption that those who are willing to pay a hefty bond will be less likely to overstay their visa.
However, the policy does not guarantee that applicants will be granted a visa, and even if a visa is refused, the bond amount is refunded. For those who are granted a visa, the bond will be refunded only if they comply with the terms of their visa and leave the US on time. While the US government defends the policy as a means of promoting compliance with visa rules, the financial burden it places on applicants is significant, particularly for individuals from lower-income countries.
The Expanding List of Affected Countries
As of the beginning of 2026, seven more countries have been added to the list of nations whose citizens are required to pay a security bond in order to apply for a US visa. These countries join a growing list of African nations already affected by the policy. The newly added countries include:
NamibiaTurkmenistanBhutanBotswanaCentral African RepublicGuineaGuinea-Bissau
These nations are now part of the broader group that faces significant hurdles in accessing the United States. Their inclusion follows a similar pattern to the first set of countries that were subjected to the policy in 2025. These countries have been grouped with other nations such as Mauritania, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi, and Zambia, which were added in August and October of the previous year.
The Policy’s Impact on African Nations
The policy expansion places an overwhelming burden on travelers from many African countries, which already face significant barriers in terms of visa access and costs. With the new security bond requirement, visa applications become even more financially prohibitive, especially for individuals from lower-income backgrounds. As a result, many potential visitors, students, and business professionals will find themselves unable to afford the steep cost of securing a US visa.
In addition to Namibia, other African nations like Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania are now facing additional challenges in their attempts to send citizens to the United States. These countries, many of which already grapple with limited access to international travel, now have to contend with even stricter entry requirements.
The financial strain of paying a security bond can deter individuals from applying for a US visa altogether. In some cases, applicants may opt for alternative travel destinations that do not impose such high financial barriers. In others, the inability to meet the bond requirement may limit opportunities for education, tourism, and business exchanges, further exacerbating global inequality.
Additional US Visa Policy Changes
This new policy is just one element of a broader overhaul of the US visa system under the Trump administration. The administration has also introduced mandatory in-person interviews for all visa applicants, regardless of their country of origin, and has expanded the scope of personal information required as part of the application process.
As part of the effort to tighten border security, applicants from all countries must now disclose their social media history spanning several years. They must also provide detailed information about their past travel and residency, as well as that of their immediate family members. These added requirements are designed to give US authorities a more comprehensive view of applicants’ backgrounds, but they also place an additional burden on travelers.
For applicants from the newly affected countries, these changes further complicate the visa application process. The combination of increased costs, more stringent interview requirements, and the disclosure of private information may discourage many from pursuing a visa altogether.
The Response from Affected Countries
Governments of the countries affected by the new policy have expressed concern over the impact it will have on their citizens. The requirement to post a substantial bond may limit opportunities for people who wish to study, work, or visit the United States. The financial strain of paying a security bond could also have long-term effects on families, particularly those in developing countries who may already be struggling financially.
In Namibia, for example, tourism and educational exchanges with the United States have historically been important for the country’s economy. However, with the introduction of this policy, the number of Namibian citizens applying for US visas may decline significantly, potentially resulting in lower numbers of students studying abroad and fewer tourists visiting the US.
The Namibian government, along with other affected nations, may seek diplomatic channels to address the issue and advocate for changes to the policy. However, as the policy is part of the Trump administration’s broader approach to immigration, it may be difficult to secure any changes in the near future.
US Policy’s Global Implications
The US visa bond policy has the potential to strain relations with various countries, particularly those that are disproportionately affected by the new rule. While the US government argues that the policy is a necessary measure to deter visa overstays, critics view it as a punitive measure that disproportionately impacts developing nations, many of which already face challenges in securing access to the US.
Furthermore, the policy could have wider diplomatic and economic consequences. For countries that rely on US ties for trade, tourism, and education, the expanded visa requirements could strain bilateral relations. In the long term, this could lead to diminished cooperation and fewer people-to-people exchanges between the US and the affected countries.
The financial burden of the visa bond requirement may also have a ripple effect, reducing the flow of international students to US universities and decreasing the number of tourists visiting the country. Both of these sectors are vital to the US economy, contributing billions of dollars each year.
The US government’s expansion of the visa bond requirement, which now includes Namibia, Turkmenistan, Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau, represents a significant increase in travel barriers for citizens from these countries. While the US government defends the policy as a necessary measure to combat visa overstays, the financial burden it places on applicants is undeniable.
For travelers from Namibia and other affected nations, the cost of securing a US visa may prove insurmountable. This policy expansion could limit opportunities for education, business, and tourism, creating a more insular world for US-bound travelers. In the long term, the continued imposition of such travel barriers could have broader diplomatic, economic, and cultural consequences, impacting global cooperation and understanding.
Namibia joins Tanzania, Guinea, Malawi, Zambia, and more nations in facing travel obstacles as the US government expands its visa bond requirements. The new policy, which requires applicants from certain countries to pay security bonds of up to $15,000, increases the financial burden for many potential travelers, making US visas harder to obtain.
As the policy continues to take effect, it remains to be seen how affected countries will respond and whether the US will reconsider its approach. For now, citizens of Namibia and other nations will have to navigate the growing obstacles in their attempts to visit the United States, with the added weight of the new visa bond requirement.
