The US State Department has made its visa bond programme permanent, according to reports. Under the policy, consular officers may require some B1/B2 visa applicants to post a bond of up to $20,000 as a condition of visa issuance or continued processing. Multiple outlets report that the change applies to a defined group of countries—50 in total. One report notes that India is not included in the 50-country list associated with the programme. The policy gives consular officers discretion to decide whether a bond is needed for eligible applicants from listed countries. The reporting indicates the programme’s legal or procedural status shifts from a temporary arrangement to a permanent one, while the framework remains tied to specific visa categories (B1/B2) and a capped bond amount. No additional changes to eligibility criteria beyond the country list and the bond cap are described in the provided summaries.