PAY TO VISIT! US Slaps $15,000 ‘Security Deposit’ Requirement on Nigerians; Here’s Why Your Next Visit to America Could Cost You a Fortune Upfront!

Traveling to the “Land of the Free” just got a whole lot more expensive for Nigerians. The United States has officially started a new program that could force many Nigerian visa applicants to drop a massive $15,000 (about ₦22.5 million) bond before they are allowed to board a plane.

This isn’t a new visa fee it’s more like a “security deposit.” The U.S. State Department is worried about the high number of Nigerians who go to America on business or holiday trips but never come back. To stop this, they are now asking “high-risk” travelers to put down this huge sum of money as a promise that they will return home.

If you go to the U.S. and come back when your visa says you should, you get your $15,000 back. But if you stay even one day past your deadline, the U.S. government keeps the money for good.

While the policy doesn’t apply to every single person applying for a visa, it gives American consular officers the power to demand the bond if they aren’t 100% sure you will return. For many Nigerians, this is being seen as a “soft ban,” as very few people can afford to tie up over ₦22 million just for a short trip.

Industry experts warn that this could hit Nigerian businesses and families hard, making it much tougher for parents to visit their children or for entrepreneurs to attend trade shows in the States.