Nepali citizens wishing to travel to the United States for tourism and business purposes will now have to pay a deposit. In a notice issued by the US Department of State on Tuesday, Nepal has been included in the list of countries requiring visa bonds (deposits) ranging from $5,000 to $15,000.

This provision will come into effect for Nepal from January 21. According to the new provision, after the B1 (tourist) and B2 (business) visas are approved, one of the amounts of 5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 US dollars will have to be paid as a deposit. According to the current exchange rate, this amount ranges from 720,000 rupees to 2160,000 rupees.

Earlier, the ministry had implemented such a provision for the first time in some countries as a trial in August. Currently, a visa bond has been made mandatory for citizens of countries including Nepal, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Cuba, Fiji, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe. The ministry has mentioned that the visa applicant must comply with the terms of the bond.

The consular officer will determine the amount of money that each applicant will pay during the interview, the ministry said. ‘This rule will apply regardless of where the applicant applies from in the world,’ the notice said. ‘The applicant must fill out Form I-352 upon instruction from the consular officer.’ The applicant must submit the deposit through the US Treasury’s online platform ‘Pay.gov’.

The ministry has warned against using any third-party website to submit the deposit. The ministry has stated that if the amount is paid outside the government system, it will not be refunded and there is no guarantee that a visa will be issued even if the deposit is paid.

In addition, passengers who have received a visa and paid the deposit should use only one of Boston Logan, John F. Kennedy and Washington Dulles International airports when entering and leaving the US, the notice said. It is mentioned that entry or exit restrictions may apply if you choose an airport other than these. The ministry has stated that the deposit will be refunded if you leave the US within the specified time, do not travel even after obtaining a visa, or are turned away at the point of entry. However, it has been said that if you stay in the US for more than the period of permission, change your visa category, or apply for asylum, the deposit may not be refunded. The US Department of Homeland Security will investigate whether the visa conditions have been violated and, if found to have been violated, the deposit will be confiscated.