Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Upfront cost via bond company
$1,360
Non-refundable premium
$1,360
Cash bond required upfront
$8,000
Cash bond refunded at case close
$8,000
Upfront savings using bond company
$6,640
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How to use this
- 1Enter bond amount set by judge/ice ($).
- 2Enter bond company premium rate (%).
- 3Enter collateral required beyond premium ($).
- 4Enter cash bond admin/processing fee ($).
- 5Read your upfront cost via bond company on the right — it updates as you type.
- 6Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
When ICE or an immigration judge sets a bond to release someone from detention, the family typically can't pay the full bond amount as cash to the government without tying up that entire sum for months or years until the case closes. Most families instead use a bail bond company specializing in immigration bonds, which charges a non-refundable premium, usually 15-20% of the bond amount, plus sometimes a collateral requirement if the bond is large or the immigration status is high-risk for absconding. Immigration bonds average $5,000-$15,000 for straightforward cases but can run $20,000+ for cases the judge views as higher flight risk. This calculator compares paying cash directly (full amount, refunded at case end minus fees) against using a bond company (partial non-refundable premium, immediate release, no reimbursement).
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Bond amount set by judge/ICE: 8000 $
- Bond company premium rate: 17 %
- Collateral required beyond premium: 0 $
- Cash bond admin/processing fee: 0 $
Results
- Upfront cost via bond company: $1,360
- Non-refundable premium: $1,360
- Cash bond required upfront: $8,000
- Cash bond refunded at case close: $8,000
- Upfront savings using bond company: $6,640
What each field means
Inputs
- Bond amount set by judge/ICE ($)
- The bond amount set by judge/ice used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 8000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Bond company premium rate (%)
- The bond company premium rate used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 17 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 5–30 %.
- Collateral required beyond premium ($)
- The collateral required beyond premium used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 0 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Cash bond admin/processing fee ($)
- The cash bond admin/processing fee used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 0 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Upfront cost via bond company
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Non-refundable premium
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cash bond required upfront
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cash bond refunded at case close
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Upfront savings using bond company
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Is the bond company premium ever refunded?
No, the premium is the company's fee for taking on risk and is non-refundable regardless of case outcome, similar to how a criminal bail bond premium works. Only the cash bond option, paid directly to ICE, gets refunded (minus a small processing charge) once the case is fully resolved and all hearings are attended.
What happens to the bond if the person misses a hearing?
The full bond amount is forfeited to the government whether it was posted in cash or through a bond company. If a bond company posted it, they'll pursue the collateral and the person who signed as indemnitor for the forfeited amount.
How is the bond amount decided?
Immigration judges consider flight risk and danger to the community, weighing ties to the community, family in the US, employment history, and any criminal record. The statutory minimum is $1,500 but most bonds are set well above that, commonly $5,000-$25,000.
Can the bond amount be lowered after it's set?
Yes, through a bond redetermination hearing where new evidence of community ties or changed circumstances is presented to the judge. This isn't guaranteed and generally requires an attorney to present effectively.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Immigration Bond Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/immigration-bond-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/immigration-bond-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Immigration Bond Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Immigration Bond Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/immigration-bond-cost) (2026).