Starting January 21, 2026, citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic applying for non-immigrant visas of category B-1 (for business trips) and B-2 (for tourism) will be required to pay a refundable deposit ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. This information was published in a document on the website of the U.S. Department of State, available here.
The deposit payment will only be made through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's platform, and the link for making the payment will be provided by the consular officer after the interview is completed.
It is important to note that paying the deposit does not guarantee the issuance of a visa.
The new regulation also stipulates that holders of visas obtained with a deposit will be able to enter and exit the U.S. only through three designated airports: Logan in Boston, John F. Kennedy in New York, and Dulles in Washington.
- The amount of the deposit will be determined by the consular officer during the interview and may be $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.
- The deposit is refundable. Funds will be returned if the applicant is denied a visa or if the visa holder leaves the U.S. within the specified time, complying with the terms of stay.
We remind you that the visa deposit program was launched by the U.S. Department of State in a pilot mode in August 2025 and initially applied to citizens of Malawi and Zambia. Starting January 2026, it will apply to citizens of 38 countries, including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and for citizens of Turkmenistan, this rule will come into effect on January 1, 2026. The reason for this decision was the frequent cases of overstaying on B-1/B-2 visas.
