The US requires a visa deposit from citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan

The US Department of State has launched a new pilot program and announced that it may require a bond of up to $15,000 for visa applicants from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

Citizens of Uzbekistan are exempt from this procedure. This was reported by Kursiv.uz.

These requirements apply to applicants for B1/B2 visas – for business and tourist trips. For Turkmenistan citizens, this procedure came into effect on January 1, 2026, while for citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, it is scheduled to be implemented from January 21, 2026.

According to the new procedure, US consulates may require applicants to submit a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 during the visa interview. The bond amount is determined individually for each application, taking into account migration risk factors.

In addition to the financial bond, there are additional restrictions. Such visa holders will only be allowed to enter and exit the US through three international airports.

US officials emphasized that these measures have been introduced temporarily as a pilot program, with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of financial guarantees for migration control.