How much does an immigration bond cost in 2026?
There is no single price. The law sets a $1,500 minimum and no maximum: the rest is decided case by case by ICE or an immigration judge.
Amounts seen in practice
| Situation | Typical range |
|---|---|
| No record, strong ties, U.S. citizen family | $1,500 – $5,000 |
| No serious record, limited ties | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| Minor criminal history, or recent entry | $10,000 – $20,000 |
| History of missed appearances, or serious record | over $20,000, or bond denied |
These are orders of magnitude, not an official schedule. Similar facts can draw very different amounts across courts and judges.
What moves the number
The judge weighs flight risk and danger to the community. Factors that lower the amount:
- Long continuous residence in the U.S.
- Immediate family who are citizens or residents, especially minor children.
- Steady employment, tax returns, a lease in the person's name.
- A history of attending immigration appointments and court dates.
- A pending application for relief — asylum, cancellation, a family petition — which shows a reason to appear.
- Support letters from employers, churches, schools, neighbors.
Factors that raise it or lead to denial: criminal history including arrests without conviction, multiple entries, a prior removal order, a missed hearing.
It is not a criminal bond
This is the most common and most expensive misunderstanding. In criminal court you pay a bondsman roughly 10% and that premium never comes back. In immigration, the full amount is deposited with ICE and returned at the end if the person complies.
If the family cannot raise the full amount, private immigration bond companies exist. They typically charge 15–20% of the bond, non-refundable, and usually require collateral and sometimes a monthly GPS monitor fee. On a $10,000 bond that is $1,500–$2,000 you never see again. If the family can raise the full amount, that is always the better deal.
How it is paid
- An adult with lawful status (citizen or LPR) and valid ID pays. That person is the obligor.
- Payment is made at an ICE ERO office by cashier's check or money order, or online through CeBONDS. No cash, no credit cards.
- The obligor signs Form I-352. Keep the original — refunds are much harder without it.
- The obligor must keep their address current with ICE, or the refund check goes astray.
When the money comes back
When the case ends and the person attended every hearing and complied with any order. ICE then sends the obligor instructions to claim the deposit. In practice this takes months, sometimes over a year.
If the person misses a hearing or fails to comply with a removal order, the bond is forfeited entirely.
If the amount is impossible
- Request a new bond hearing if circumstances changed: an approved family petition, new evidence of ties, confirmed employment.
- Appeal to the BIA within 30 days if the amount was excessive.
- Check whether mandatory detention applies. If it does, the problem is eligibility, not the amount — covered in the guide on detention and bond.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum? $1,500.
Can it be paid in installments? Not to ICE. Private companies offer plans with a non-refundable premium.
When does the money come back? At the end of the case, if the person complied. It takes months.