The United States has moved to further tighten its visitor visa regime by adding seven more countries to its controversial scheme that requires certain travellers to post bonds of up to USD 15,000 as a condition for obtaining short-term US visas.

The expansion, which took effect at the start of 2026, substantially broadens the scope of the policy and is expected to have a significant impact on travellers from several developing nations.

​Under the latest update, citizens of Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Turkmenistan are now subject to the visa bond requirement for specific categories of B1/B2 business and tourist visas.

These countries join Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, Tanzania, Gambia, Malawi and Zambia, which had already been brought under the bond framework in earlier phases, bringing the total number of affected states to 13, the vast majority of them in Africa.

Diplomatic sources and regional observers note that the concentration of the measure on smaller and economically vulnerable nations is likely to fuel accusations of unequal treatment and could complicate bilateral ties with Washington.

Several governments are reported to be assessing the implications for their citizens, especially frequent business travellers and those with strong family links in the United States.​

Under the scheme, consular officers may require certain applicants to lodge a refundable financial guarantee, typically in denominations of USD 5,000, USD 10,000 or USD 15,000, before a qualifying visa can be issued.

The decision on whether to impose a bond, and at what level, is left to consular discretion and is based on factors such as the applicant’s travel history, socio-economic profile and perceived overstay risk.

The bond is intended to serve as a deterrent against overstaying; it is returned if the traveller complies fully with the terms of admission and departs the US within the authorised period. Officials stress that payment of a bond does not guarantee visa approval, nor does refusal of a visa automatically lead to forfeiture, as funds are generally returned where a visa is not issued.​

The bond requirement can be traced to a broader push by US authorities to curb chronic visa overstay rates and tighten controls on temporary visitors. It builds on a pilot initiative launched during the Trump administration, which instructed the State Department to explore financial instruments targeting countries with consistently high overstay levels among B1/B2 travellers.

US officials argue that the measure is a targeted tool designed to encourage better compliance with immigration rules and to press foreign governments to work more closely with Washington on documentation, returns and identity verification.

The expansion of the bond regime coincides with other layers of scrutiny, including stricter in‑person interviews, more exhaustive background checks and enhanced requirements for disclosure of past travel and online activity.

For many prospective visitors, especially those from lower- and middle-income backgrounds, the bond effectively raises the cost of a US trip far beyond the reach of most households, even if the amount is ultimately refundable.

Travel industry stakeholders warn that the measure may deter genuine tourists and business visitors, depress demand on key routes and hurt airlines, tour operators and hospitality providers that rely on emerging markets.

Rights advocates and migration experts have also voiced concern over the policy’s design and geographic focus, warning that it risks stigmatizing entire nationalities and entrenching perceptions of discriminatory treatment.

Some analysts argue that cooperative arrangements to improve data-sharing and documentation systems would likely be more sustainable than heavy financial guarantees imposed unilaterally on travellers from selected countries.

Current roster of countries under bond regime
The following 13 countries are currently understood to fall under the US visitor visa bond requirement for designated B1/B2 applicants:

These listings may be subject to further revision depending on US policy reviews, overstay metrics and diplomatic engagements with the affected governments.

The Norwegian Group carried 2.9 million passengers in August 2026, including 2.5 million passengers on Norwegian and 359,000 on Widerøe.

Norwegian increased its capacity by 3% year on year, while passenger traffic climbed 4%. Its load factor improved by 0.4 percentage points to 86.3%. The airline operated an average of 94 aircraft during the month.

Regularity stood at 98.9%, rising to 99.6% when cancellations related to the Avinor air traffic controllers’ strike are excluded. The industrial action disrupted travel for more than 20,000 passengers. Norwegian’s punctuality rate, measured by departures within 15 minutes of schedule, was 80.8%.

Widerøe increased capacity by 2%, while traffic remained unchanged. Its load factor consequently declined by 1.8 percentage points to 75.8%. The regional airline recorded punctuality of 93.3%, an improvement of 1.5 percentage points, while regularity reached 97.4%.

Norwegian said booking activity for the autumn remained strong, particularly around the school holidays. Meanwhile, its Norwegian Reward loyalty programme has surpassed 10 million members and is introducing five new membership tiers.

Source: QCAA

African airlines recorded a 6.4% year-on-year increase in passenger demand in July 2026, according to the latest data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Capacity across African carriers increased by 9.0% compared with July 2025, while the passenger load factor stood at 74.1%. Domestic revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) in the region rose 0.6% during the month.

Globally, total passenger demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometres, increased just 0.2% from July 2025. Excluding the Middle East, demand grew 1.2%, while available seat kilometres, the industry measure of capacity, increased 0.3%.

The global load factor was 85.2%. International demand declined 0.1% year on year. When the Middle East was excluded, international demand increased 1.5%, with capacity also rising 0.3% and the load factor reaching 85.2%.

Domestic passenger demand worldwide grew 0.6% compared with July 2025, while domestic capacity increased 0.2%. The domestic load factor stood at 85.3%.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA’s Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, said the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season had produced a largely positive result despite weaker performance by carriers in North America and the Middle East.

She also noted that traffic through Gulf aviation hubs was continuing to recover.

Thomsen said airlines remained confident about demand for the final months of the year despite elevated fuel costs, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Carriers are planning to increase seat capacity by almost 3% in September, she added.

Source: Nigerian Tribune

Global air passenger demand recorded modest growth in July 2026, as strong performances in several regions helped offset declines among carriers in North America and the Middle East, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Total revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) increased by 0.2% compared with July 2025. Excluding Middle Eastern airlines, global passenger demand rose by 1.2%.

Worldwide capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), grew by 0.3% year-on-year, while the global passenger load factor slipped by 0.1 percentage points to 85.2%.

International traffic declined by 0.1% compared with the same month last year. However, excluding Middle Eastern carriers, international demand increased by 1.5%.

Domestic passenger demand rose by 0.6%, supported by a 0.2% increase in capacity. The domestic load factor reached 85.3%.

Marie Owens Thomsen, IATA's Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist, said the peak Northern Hemisphere summer travel season had delivered an overall positive picture for aviation despite challenges in key markets.

“Overall growth of 0.2% in July was achieved despite year-on-year collective declines by carriers in North America and the Middle East,” she said, adding that traffic through Gulf hubs continued to recover.

Thomsen noted that high fuel prices, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions remain challenges for the industry. However, airlines remain confident about demand later in the year, with seat capacity expected to expand by almost 3% in September.

European airlines posted demand growth of 3.1%, supported in particular by a 12.1% surge in traffic between Europe and Asia.

Latin American carriers recorded a 7.1% increase in demand, while African airlines reported growth of 6.4%.

Elsewhere, Asia-Pacific demand declined by 0.7%, and North American carriers saw a 2.3% fall. Middle Eastern airlines reported the sharpest decline, with demand down 9.5%, although the pace of the downturn continued to ease.

Domestic traffic rose 0.6% worldwide, with China and Brazil reporting strong growth. In contrast, domestic markets in the United States, Australia and India recorded declines.

Source: ZAWYA

Typhoon Dolphin brought torrential rain to Shanghai on Monday, August 10, 2026, flooding roads and commercial areas and severely disrupting air travel in the city.

The weather system forced Shanghai’s two airports to cancel a combined 943 flights, while their overall passenger capacity was reduced by nearly 40%.

The disruption followed Dolphin’s landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening. The typhoon struck areas south and west of Shanghai with maximum sustained winds of 151 kilometres per hour near its centre.

Dolphin later weakened into a tropical storm, but its remaining rain bands continued to bring heavy precipitation across large parts of eastern China.

Shanghai, the country’s second-most populous city, experienced widespread flooding, including in several major commercial districts.

China Eastern Airlines said it was working to gradually restore flights to Shanghai, Zhejiang and other affected destinations as weather conditions improve.

Source: Asia News Network

Thousands of WestJet cabin crew members began strike action on Aug. 2 after nearly 11 months of contract negotiations failed to result in a new labor agreement, triggering widespread disruptions across the airline's network.

The industrial action involves around 4,400 flight attendants represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 8125. The strike officially started after talks between the union and the airline ended without a new collective agreement.

The labor dispute has already forced WestJet to cancel more than 300 flights, affecting travel plans across its domestic and international routes.

Ahead of the strike, the airline had begun grounding portions of its Boeing 737 fleet as a precautionary measure to minimize operational disruption and reduce the risk of leaving passengers and aircraft stranded during the work stoppage.

Source: Aero Time