As of now, citizens of Kosovo and Albania will not be required to pay a financial bond of up to $15,000 when applying for U.S. visas under a new pilot program announced by the U.S. Department of State.
.jpg "Albania and Kosovo Exempt from U.S. Tourist Visa Bond Requirement")
The 12-month pilot project, set to launch on August 20, will initially apply only to nationals of Malawi and Zambia, two countries in Southern and Southeastern Africa.
The new measure concerns B-1 and B-2 visas, commonly used for tourism and business visits. The bond system will consist of three levels—$5,000, $10,000, and $15,000—and it will be up to U.S. consular officers to determine the appropriate amount based on each applicant’s risk level for overstaying a visa, including factors like travel history.
Although Kosovo and Albania are not currently part of the program, the situation may change. Sources from Albania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that they have not received any notification regarding the bond requirement but noted that countries may be added to the list in the future.
The pilot program is a response to growing concerns about visa overstays, which make up a significant portion of undocumented migration to the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 42% of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. initially entered legally on time-limited visas and failed to leave when required.
In 2023, Chad had the highest rate of visa overstays at 50%, followed by Laos (35%) and Haiti (31%). By comparison, Albania’s overstay rate was relatively low at around 2.3%, while Malawi and Zambia, despite being included in the pilot program, also had moderate overstay rates between 10% and 14%. Countries with the highest absolute numbers of overstays included Mexico, Colombia, and Haiti.
As the program rolls out, the list of countries may expand depending on the results and assessments made by the U.S. authorities. For now, Kosovar and Albanian citizens remain unaffected, but future changes cannot be ruled out.