Retaliation: Mali slams $10,000 visa bonds on US citizens

Mali has announced it would require U.S. nationals to pay visa bonds of up to 10,000 dollars for business and tourist visas, in response to a similar move by the U.S. government.

The decision followed the Trump administration’s inclusion of Mali in its visa bond pilot programme, aimed at curbing visa overstays.

The U.S. Embassy in Bamako confirmed on Friday that the measure would take effect from October 23, 2025.

Under the U.S. policy, the bond, refundable upon legal departure, is applied to select travellers from countries with high rates of visa overstays.

A statement by Mali’s foreign ministry condemned the U.S. action as a “unilateral decision” that violated a prior bilateral agreement on long-stay, multiple-entry visas.

“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, Mali has decided to introduce an identical visa programme imposing the same conditions and requirements on U.S. nationals,” the ministry said.

U.S. State Department data showed that fewer than 3,000 non-immigrant visas are issued annually to Malians; however, data on visas issued by Mali to U.S. citizens was not immediately available.

The visa bond initiative is part of former President Donald Trump’s broader immigration clampdown, which included heightened border security and stricter visa enforcement.