US visa from Algeria in 2026: the visa bond, fees and the green card lottery

The visa bond for Algerians

The State Department added Algeria to its visa bond pilot on 6 January 2026, with effect from 21 January 2026. It concerns B1/B2 business and tourist visas.

• The consular officer decides at the interview whether you must post a bond, and sets it at $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000.
• You only pay after the officer tells you to, using Form I-352 on the Treasury’s Pay.gov site. Money paid without that instruction is not refunded.
• Paying does not guarantee the visa.
• Bond holders must enter and leave the US through Boston Logan, New York JFK or Washington Dulles.
• The bond is returned if you leave on time, never travel, or are refused entry at the border.

Step by step

1. Fill in the DS-160 online and keep the confirmation page with its barcode.
2. Create an account on the embassy’s appointment site, pay the fee and book your interview in Algiers.
3. Attend the interview with your passport, DS-160 confirmation and supporting documents. Answer briefly and truthfully.
4. If approved, pay any bond or issuance fee the officer asks for and wait for the passport to come back.
5. Since 2025 applicants are expected to apply in their country of nationality or residence, so Algerians living in Algeria should apply in Algiers.

Fees

The $250 visa integrity fee was created by a law passed in July 2025. Check the embassy’s fee page to see whether it is being collected when you apply.

What to bring to the interview

• Passport valid at least six months beyond your stay, and old passports.
• DS-160 confirmation and appointment letter.
• Proof of job, income and assets in Algeria, and of family ties.
• For business: invitation from the US company and your employer’s letter.
• Be ready to explain your social media accounts listed on the DS-160; they are checked.

Students and exchange visitors

F-1 students need an I-20 from a SEVP-certified school and must pay the SEVIS fee before the interview. J-1 exchange visitors, including Fulbright grantees, need a DS-2019. Students were not covered by the visa bond, but officers check funds and study plans closely. Fulbright and other exchange programmes are listed in our scholarships guide.

Immigrant visas

On 21 January 2026 the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, including Algeria. The pause ended on 21 August 2026 under a federal court order. Family-based and employment-based cases can move again, but each still has to meet every requirement, and delays built up during the pause.

Green card lottery (Diversity Visa)

• Algerians have traditionally been eligible for the DV lottery.
• DV-2027 registration had not opened by 31 October 2026. A court ordered it to open by 1 November, but an appeals court stayed that order on 29 October.
• When it opens, entries are accepted only on dvprogram.state.gov, with a $1 fee and a scan of your passport (rule in force since 10 April 2026).
• Any site claiming to enter you now, or to raise your chances for a fee, is a scam.

Scams

Questions