Starting January 21, 2026, citizens of Kyrgyzstan applying for non-immigrant B-1 (for business trips) and B-2 (for tourism) visas will be required to pay a refundable visa deposit ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. This information was published on the official document on the U.S. Department of State's website.
The deposit must be paid exclusively through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's system, and the payment link will be provided by the consular officer after the interview.
It is important to note that paying the deposit does not guarantee the issuance of a visa.
Additionally, visas issued with the deposit will require their holders to enter and exit the U.S. only through three airports: Logan in Boston, John F. Kennedy in New York, or Dulles in Washington.
- The amount of the deposit is determined by the consular officer during the interview and can be $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.
- The deposit is refundable, and the funds will be returned in case of visa denial or if the visa holder leaves the U.S. on time, complying with the terms of stay.
It should be reminded that the visa deposit program was launched by the U.S. Department of State in a pilot mode in August 2025 and initially applied to citizens of Malawi and Zambia. Starting January 2026, it will be relevant for citizens of 38 countries, including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, while for citizens of Turkmenistan, this rule will come into effect on January 1, 2026. This decision was made due to frequent cases of overstaying on B-1/B-2 visas.
