United States waives visa bond for 2026 World Cup fans with valid tickets

On 13 May 2026, the United States Department of State announced a waiver of the visa bond requirement for FIFA World Cup 2026 fans who hold valid tickets and have registered with the FIFA Pass system. The decision was confirmed to the Associated Press by Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar and applies to citizens from five countries on the mandatory bond list that have teams participating in the World Cup.

Scope of application

According to the United States Department of State, fans holding B-1 or B-2 visas who are from the 50 countries currently on the mandatory bond list and have purchased FIFA tickets and registered for the FIFA Pass system — a mechanism allowing for expedited visa interview scheduling, effective from 15 April 2026 — will be exempt from the bond requirement.

According to the Associated Press, five of the 50 countries subject to the bond requirement have teams participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Tunisia. As of early April 2026, an estimated 250 fans were affected by the bond requirement — a figure expected to rise rapidly as fans continue to purchase tickets.

Players, coaches, and certain team staff members were previously exempted from the bond requirement under the Trump administration’s directives to prioritise visa processing for the tournament. General fans — including those with confirmed tickets — were not included in the waiver until 13 May 2026.

Current visa bond mechanism

According to the Federal Register, the Visa Bond Pilot Program began operations on 20 August 2025 and is scheduled to run for 12 months, ending on 5 August 2026. The programme is administered by the United States Department of State under Section 221(g)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Under the regulations, citizens from the subject countries must post a bond of US$5,000, US$10,000, or US$15,000 before receiving a B-1/B-2 visa. The specific bond amount is determined by the consular officer during the visa interview. Applicants must submit Form I-352, issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security, and pay via the Department of the Treasury’s Pay.gov platform.

The bond amount will be refunded if: the individual departs the United States on time according to the visa terms; the individual does not travel to the United States before the visa expires; or the visa application is denied.

50 countries in the programme

According to the United States Department of State, the list of 50 countries subject to the visa bond is determined based on the Department of Homeland Security’s annual Entry/Exit Overstay Report. The most recent expansion on 2 April 2026 added 12 new countries: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia.

In a statement on 18 March 2026, the United States Department of State indicated that the programme has proven effective in reducing overstay rates. Nearly 1,000 visas have been issued under the programme, and 97% of holders have returned home on time. According to the Department, the final year of the Biden administration recorded over 44,000 visitors from the 50 current programme countries overstaying in the United States.

Holders of bonded visas must also enter and exit through designated ports of entry — only commercial airports, including United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) pre-clearance locations. Land, sea, private aviation, and charter flight ports are not permitted.

Waiver decision process

According to Department of State officials speaking to the Associated Press, FIFA requested the waiver, and the decision required approval from both the United States Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security. This matter was discussed in numerous meetings at the White House and relevant agencies in Washington over several months.

Ms Namdar stated: “The United States is excited to host the largest and most excellent FIFA World Cup in history. We are waiving the visa bond for eligible fans who have purchased World Cup tickets and have registered for the FIFA Pass system, which allows for expedited visa interview scheduling from 15 April 2026.” She also affirmed that the Department of State “remains committed to strengthening United States national security priorities while facilitating legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup tournament.”

World Cup 2026 context

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will open on 11 June 2026 and is the first tournament to be co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament is also the first edition to feature 48 teams, an increase from the previous 32 teams.

Certain other restrictive policies for international travellers remain in effect. According to the Associated Press, citizens of Iran and Haiti remain barred from entering the United States (except for World Cup players and team delegations). Travellers from Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal — who are also subject to the bond requirement — are also subject to partial restrictions under expanded travel bans.

According to a recent report by United States hospitality industry advocacy groups, visa barriers and geopolitical factors have “significantly suppressed international demand,” leading to tournament booking volumes far lower than initially projected.