As the United States moves to crack down on illegal immigrants, Tongans who are looking to travel to the United States on short-term visas will soon be required to post bonds of up to USD $15,000 ($36,774 TOP) for a visa.
The new requirment comes into force on 21 January 2026.
The US Embassy in Tonga stated, “B1/B2 visas for nationals of Tonga cannot be issued until the bond has been paid. This requirement applies regardless of place of application.”
B1/B2 visas are US nonimmigrant visas for temporary travel.
B1 visas are for commercial/professional activities like consulting, contract negotiation, attending conventions, or short training.
B2 visas for vacations, visiting friends or family, recreation or medical treatment.
The Embassy said that visa applications must not use any third-party website for posting the bond, nor pay a bond before instructed to do so by a consular officer.
“At the time of the interview, the consular officer will inform the applicant whether they are eligible for a visa and will provide instructions on how to pay this bond.”
The bonds will be refunded if the traveller meets the visa conditions which includes departing the US before authorised stay expires.
However, it’s important to note that the payment of the bonds does not guarantee visa approval.
This new barrier is raising concerns regarding access and affordability, as this new rule will also strictly apply to citizens of Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
In Tonga amount of the bond is greater than the annual wages of many Tongans.
