Where to Pay an Immigration Bond: ICE Field Office or CeBONDS

You can pay an immigration bond in one of two places: in person at an ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) field office, or online through the CeBONDS portal at cebonds.ice.gov.¹ ICE operates 25 ERO field offices nationwide that accept bond payments. The minimum immigration bond is $1,500, though judges and ICE officers routinely set the amount much higher based on the circumstances of the case. This guide covers cash bonds paid directly to ICE. If you’re using a surety bond instead, you pay the premium to a Treasury-certified bonding company, not to ICE, and that premium is non-refundable regardless of the outcome.²

Who Can Post the Bond

The person who posts the bond is called the obligor and takes on legal responsibility for making sure the detained individual appears at every future immigration proceeding. If the detained person skips a hearing, the obligor’s money is at risk.

ICE accepts bonds from U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Acceptable identification includes a U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate, REAL ID-compliant state driver’s license or ID card, military ID, or a permanent resident card.¹ The obligor must also provide a Social Security number. In some situations an alien already in removal proceedings or on an order of supervision may post a bond, but an undocumented person who walks into an ICE field office to post a bond risks being placed into removal proceedings themselves.³

What to Have Ready Before You Pay

Gather all of the following before you go to a field office or log into CeBONDS:

The detained person’s A-Number, which is the letter “A” followed by seven, eight, or nine digits assigned by DHS. You can find it on any immigration paperwork the detained person has received.⁴
The detained person’s full legal name, matching government records exactly. A single misspelled letter can delay processing.
Your photo ID and Social Security number, which ICE will use to verify your eligibility as obligor.
The exact bond amount, which appears on Form I-352 or in the immigration judge’s order. ICE does not accept partial payments.

The accepted payment method depends on where you pay. For in-person payments, ICE accepts postal money orders and cashier’s checks (also called certified bank checks). ICE does not accept personal checks, cash, credit cards, or wire services like Western Union or Zelle at the counter. Make the payment instrument payable to the Department of Homeland Security for the exact bond amount, and write the detainee’s full name and A-Number on the memo line.

One detail that trips people up: U.S. Postal Service money orders have a $1,000 maximum per order. If the bond is $5,000 or less, you can buy several postal money orders that together cover the total. For bonds above $5,000, a cashier’s check from your bank is the simpler path and works at any amount. Banks typically charge between $3 and $15 for a cashier’s check; postal money orders cost a few dollars each.

Paying in Person at an ICE Field Office

ICE lists the addresses and phone numbers of all 25 ERO field offices that accept bond payments on its bond acceptance facilities page.⁵ Bond posting hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., in the time zone where the detained person is held. Government holidays are excluded.¹

That 3:00 p.m. cutoff is strict. Show up at 3:15 and you’re coming back tomorrow. Arrive well before the deadline, because these are federal buildings with security screening that can eat up time.

Since ICE launched CeBONDS in April 2023, the agency has been shifting toward electronic bond processing as the default. In-person posting is still available, but ICE now handles walk-ins on a case-by-case basis. Call the nearest field office before showing up to confirm they will accept an in-person payment and whether you need an appointment.¹

At the office, an ICE officer reviews your identification, verifies your eligibility, confirms the payment instrument matches the bond amount on file, and executes the bond contract. You sign Form I-352 and receive Form I-305 as your receipt. Do not lose that receipt. It is the key to getting your money back later.

Paying Online Through CeBONDS

CeBONDS (Cash Electronic Bonds Online) is the web-based system ICE launched in April 2023 so obligors can post bonds from anywhere without traveling to a field office.⁶ The portal address is cebonds.ice.gov.

You create a secure account, enter the detained person’s information to link your payment to the correct case, review the bond agreement terms, and provide electronic signatures. The electronic process replaces the paper Form I-352. The system walks you through each step, and you receive an automated notification once the transaction is logged.

Here is the critical difference from in-person payments: CeBONDS does not accept cashier’s checks or money orders. Payment must be made through a FedWire or ACH bank transfer.¹ You will need to work with your bank to initiate the transfer. FedWire transfers process the same day and typically carry a bank fee ranging from $20 to $90 depending on your institution. ACH transfers are usually cheaper or free but take longer to clear. Confirm fees and processing times with your bank before you begin.

What You Get After Paying

Whether you pay in person or online, you receive Form I-305, officially called the Receipt of Immigration Officer. This document proves you posted the bond and is required to claim your refund when the case ends.⁷ Store it somewhere safe.

Once ICE processes the bond, the detention facility holding the individual is notified that the bond has been satisfied. Release typically happens within several hours, though backlogs at busy facilities can push it into the next day. After release, the obligor is responsible for making sure the bonded person appears at every scheduled hearing and complies with all ICE instructions until the immigration case is fully resolved.

Getting Your Bond Money Back

Bond money is not a fee. It is held by the government and returned with interest after the immigration case concludes, as long as the bonded person followed all the rules.⁸

When the case ends, whether the person wins legal status, is deported, or the case is otherwise closed, ICE sends Form I-391 (Notice of Immigration Bond Cancelled) to the address you listed on the bond contract. Mail your original Form I-391 and your original Form I-305 receipt to the Debt Management Center, Bond Unit, P.O. Box 5000, Williston, VT 05495-5000. The refund generally arrives about four weeks after the center receives your paperwork.

Two things go wrong here often. People move and forget to update their address with ICE, so the cancellation notice never reaches them. File Form I-333 (Obligor Change of Address) any time you move.⁹ People also lose Form I-305. If that happens, complete Form I-395 (Affidavit in Lieu of Lost Receipt), have it notarized, and submit the notarized original along with Form I-391 to the Debt Management Center. ICE verifies your identity by comparing the signature on Form I-395 against scanned copies of the original receipt and bond contract before releasing the funds.¹⁰

What Happens If the Bond Is Breached

A bond is breached when there has been a substantial violation of the conditions, most commonly a failure to appear at a hearing or noncompliance with ICE reporting requirements.² A breach means the government keeps the money. There is no partial refund.

If ICE declares a breach, the district director notifies the obligor on Form I-323, explaining the reasons and the right to appeal. To appeal, file Form I-290B (Notice of Appeal or Motion) with the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office within 30 days of service, or 33 days if the decision was mailed.¹¹ Missing that deadline waives the right to contest, and ICE can move straight to collection.

Before you agree to post a bond for anyone, understand what you are signing. You are staking your own money on that person’s compliance with every hearing and every ICE instruction until the case ends. If they disappear, you lose the full amount.

1
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Post a Bond
2
eCFR. 8 CFR 103.6 – Immigration Bonds
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration Bond Policies and Procedures
4
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Immigrant Fee Payment: Tips on Finding Your A-Number and DOS Case ID
5
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE ERO Bond Acceptance Facilities
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE Launches Online CeBONDS Capability to Automate Bond Payments
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RegInfo.gov. Affidavit in Lieu of Lost Receipt of United States ICE for Collateral Accepted as Security
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1363 – Deposit of and Interest on Cash Received to Secure Immigration Bonds
9
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Obligor Change of Address, ICE Form I-333
10
RegInfo.gov. Supporting Statement A, Affidavit in Lieu of Lost Receipt, Form I-395
11
Federal Register. Procedures and Standards for Declining Surety Immigration Bonds and Administrative Appeal Requirement for Breaches