In July 2026, the Programme Director of JOINT – League of NGOs in Mozambique, Pedro Muiambo, was unable to travel to New York to participate in the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) after being required to post a refundable USD 10,000 visa bond.
Muiambo had been invited to participate in the HLPF to present an independent shadow assessment developed with support from Action for Sustainable Development, and the organization Forus had agreed to cover his international travel and accommodation. JOINT also mobilised its limited resources to pay the standard USD 185 visa application fee. However, neither JOINT nor its partners could make the additional USD 10,000 guarantee available at short notice.
The requirement followed Mozambique’s inclusion among the countries subject to the United States Visa Bond Program. Under the U.S. Department of State rules, nationals of covered countries who are otherwise eligible for B1/B2 visas may be required to post a substantial bond before a visa is issued. The amount is determined during the consular process and must be paid in full by the applicant or a third party. Although refundable when the conditions are respected, it temporarily removes substantial resources from the applicant or sponsoring organisation, and posting the bond does not guarantee visa issuance.
On 3 August 2026, the United States Government published a final rule establishing a permanent Visa Bond Program, with bond levels of USD 10,000, USD 15,000 and USD 20,000. The official assessment reports that visa issuance in countries subject to these bonds declined by 83 per cent and that almost half of approximately 20,000 affected applicants did not post the required bond. The Government also acknowledges that the programme reduced demand for B1/B2 visas in covered countries.
The experience demonstrates how immigration requirements based on nationality and financial capacity can restrict the participation of Global South civil society organisations in international policy processes. The impact extends beyond an individual travel difficulty: JOINT had an established role in Mozambique’s Voluntary National Review and secured funding for travel and accommodation, but its inability to post USD 10,000 prevented in-person participation.