Mali slaps visa bond on US travelers in retaliation

Mali has introduced visa bond requirements for United States citizens, mirroring measures recently imposed by Washington on Malian travellers.

The Foreign Ministry in Bamako announced the decision on Sunday, calling it a reciprocal response to US rules set to take effect on October 23 that will require Malian business and tourist visa applicants to post bonds of $5,000 to $10,000.

Mali says the US policy violates a 2005 bilateral accord guaranteeing long-term visa access, and vowed to apply identical conditions for US passport holders. In its statement, the ministry stressed it has long worked with Washington on curbing irregular migration “with respect for law and human dignity,” but would honour reciprocity.

The US move is part of a year-long pilot targeting countries with high visa overstay rates. Mali was added in October alongside Mauritania, Sao Tome and Principe, and Tanzania. Other nations in the programme include Gambia, Malawi, and Zambia.

Under the scheme, travellers must pay bonds in advance via the US Treasury Department and enter through three designated airports. The funds are refunded if they leave before their visa expires, but withheld for overstays or asylum claims. Standard $185 visa fees also apply. US officials say the measure responds to national security concerns, citing Homeland Security figures showing more than 300,000 overstays in 2023.

Critics argue the bonds could deter legitimate visitors and hurt tourism ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The programme’s rollout has accompanied broader Trump administration efforts to pressure African governments into accepting deportees, sometimes in exchange for aid or political concessions.

In recent months, Burkina Faso lost US visa services after refusing to take third-country deportees, forcing applicants to travel abroad. South Sudan had visas suspended before agreeing to accept eight non-African deportees. Eswatini took in up to 160 migrants for $5.1 million in US funding, while Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda have made similar arrangements.