Starting January 21, 2026, a new initiative will come into effect as part of the Visa Bond pilot program aimed at preventing overstays on visas. Kyrgyzstan is among 38 countries subject to the new requirements, including Tajikistan and Turkmenistan from Central Asia.
A visa bond is an amount that must be paid in addition to the standard visa fee if the consular officer deems it necessary. The bond amount can be $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 and will be determined individually based on the results of the interview at the embassy or consulate.
It is important to note that paying a visa bond does not guarantee automatic visa approval. The bond can only be arranged at the direction of the consular officer by filling out form I-352 and making the payment through the Pay.gov system. Payments made without an official decision from the consulate are non-refundable.
The bond will be automatically refunded if a citizen of Kyrgyzstan leaves the U.S. before the end of the permitted stay, does not use the visa, or is denied entry at the border. However, if an overstay, illegal presence in the country, or an application for a change of immigration status is recorded, the funds may be withheld.
Additionally, there are restrictions on border crossing points: citizens of Kyrgyzstan who have paid the visa bond may only cross the U.S. border through the airports of Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), and Washington (Dulles, IAD). Failure to comply with this rule may result in the loss of the bond.
This decision only affects those applicants who generally meet the visa requirements but, according to U.S. authorities, may pose an increased immigration risk.
