Ugandans face up to sh56m visa bond as US tightens entry rules

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Ugandan citizens planning to travel to the United States of America will now be required to pay a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 (sh18m–sh56m) before they can obtain either a short-term or long-term visa, the US Department of State has announced.

The requirement follows the publication, on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, of a list of 30 countries whose citizens must show proof of payment of the bond before a visa is issued.

Uganda is among the countries listed, with the requirement set to take effect on January 21, 2026.

“The Department of State has identified nationals from these countries as needing visa bonds. The implementation dates are in parentheses: Algeria (January 21, 2026), Angola (January 21, 2026), Antigua and Barbuda (January 21, 2026), Bangladesh (January 21, 2026), Benin (January 21, 2026), Bhutan (January 1, 2026), Botswana (January 1, 2026), Burundi (January 21, 2026), Cabo Verde (January 21, 2026), Central African Republic (January 1, 2026), Cote D’Ivorie (January 21, 2026), Cuba (January 21, 2026).”

The list also includes Djibouti (January 21, 2026), Dominica (January 21, 2026), Fiji (January 21, 2026), Gabon (January 21, 2026), The Gambia (October 11, 2025), Guinea (January 1, 2026), Guinea Bissau (January 1, 2026), Kyrgyzstan (January 21, 2026), Malawi (August 20, 2025), Mauritania (October 23, 2025), Namibia (January 1, 2026), Nepal (January 21, 2026), Nigeria (January 21, 2026), Sao Tome and Principe (October 23, 2025), Senegal (January 21, 2026) and Tajikistan (January 21, 2026).

Others are Tanzania (October 23, 2025), Togo (January 21, 2026), Tonga (January 21, 2026), Turkmenistan (January 1, 2026), Tuvalu (January 21, 2026), Uganda (January 21, 2026), Vanuatu (January 21, 2026), Venezuela (January 21, 2026), Zambia (August 20, 2025) and Zimbabwe (January 21, 2026).

Efforts to obtain a comment from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday morning were unsuccessful as senior officials were in a meeting. However, a senior officer confirmed that a statement would be issued.

The Department of State said, “visa bond requirements are outlined in Immigration and National Act (INA) Section 221(g)(3) and the Temporary Final Rule (TFR) establishing the pilot program. Visa overstay rates are based on the B1/B2 overstay rates per the Department of Homeland Security’s entry/exit overstay report.”

It added, “any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined at the time of the visa interview. The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352. Applicants must agree to the terms of the bond through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of place of application.”

B1/B2 visas fall under the business and tourism category. From January 21, 2026, Ugandans will be required to pay between $5,000 and $15,000, compared to the previous standard fee of $160 (about sh580,000).

The Department of State noted that applicants should submit Form I-352 only after being directed to do so by a consular officer. Applicants will receive a direct payment link through Pay.gov and must not use third-party websites.

“A bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If someone pays fees without a consular officer’s direction, the fees will not be returned,” the department said.

As part of the bond conditions, visa holders will be required to enter and exit the United States through designated ports of entry.

“As a condition of the bond, all visa holders who have posted a visa bond must enter and exit the United States through the designated ports of entry listed below. Not doing this might lead to a denied entry or a departure that is not properly recorded: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) (August 20, 2025); John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) (August 20, 2025); Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) (August 20, 2025),” the Department of State said.

The bond will be cancelled and refunded automatically if the visa holder departs the United States on or before the authorised date of stay, does not travel before the visa expires, or is denied entry at the port of entry.

The Department of State warned that cases of suspected breach will be referred to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services for determination.

The move comes amid a broader crackdown on illegal immigration by US President Donald Trump and US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

In December last year, the Department of Homeland Security announced what it described as historic progress in border enforcement, citing more than 2.5 million illegal immigrants leaving the United States.

“Since January 20, 2025, DHS enforcement operations have resulted in more than 605,000 deportations. DHS has prioritised removing the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens as part of the Trump Administration’s efforts to return law and order to the United States,” a statement said.

“Additionally, thanks to the comprehensive efforts of DHS law enforcement, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported since January 2025. We encourage all illegal aliens to use the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) home app to get a free flight home for Christmas and $1,000 (sh3.6m).”

US Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the Trump administration was recording unprecedented enforcement outcomes, noting that millions of illegal immigrants had either been deported or had left voluntarily.

“Illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now. They know if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return,” McLaughlin said.

The US government said the decline in illegal immigration was already easing pressure on public services and improving labour market conditions nationwide.