The U.S. Embassy in Namibia says the visa bond of up to US$15,000, equivalent to about N$250,000, introduced under a global pilot programme that took effect on 1 January 2026, is refundable and applies only to United States business and tourist visas.
The U.S. Embassy in Namibia said the refundable bond applies only to B1 and B2 visas covering business and tourism travel, and does not apply to other visa categories.
The embassy said the requirement does not affect Namibian students travelling on F or M visas, nor participants in US government-sponsored or other exchange programmes travelling on J visas.
According to the embassy, the visa bond is not a fee but a refundable amount intended to reduce visa overstays.
It said the bond is automatically cancelled and refunded once a traveller complies with all visa conditions, including departing the United States on time and not engaging in unauthorised work.
Namibia is among 38 countries included in the pilot programme identified by the U.S. Department of State.
For Namibian applicants, the measure took effect on 1 January 2026. The bond amount, set at US$5,000, US$10,000 or US$15,000, is determined by a consular officer at the time of the visa interview.
Applicants instructed to post a bond are required to submit Form I-352 issued by the Department of Homeland Security and make payment through the US government’s Pay.gov system.
The Department of State said payment of a bond does not guarantee the issuance of a visa and warned that payments made without direct instruction from a consular officer are not refundable.
The U.S. Embassy in Namibia said visa bond holders must enter and exit the United States through designated ports of entry, including major international airports such as New York’s John F. Kennedy, Washington Dulles, Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles International.
The Department of State said failure to comply with the conditions of the visa bond may result in the bond being forfeited following a review by US immigration authorities.
