Mali to Require $10,000 Visa Bond from U.S. Citizens in Reciprocal Move

Mali has announced that beginning October 23, U.S. citizens applying for tourist or business visas to Mali will be required to post a bond of up to $10,000, in a retaliatory move against a new U.S. visa bond program.

In a statement Sunday, Mali’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said its decision is based on the principle of reciprocity, saying it was compelled to match a condition recently imposed by the United States on Malian nationals. The ministry criticized the U.S. measure as “unilateral” and argued it violates existing bilateral agreements on long-stay, multiple-entry visas.

The U.S. State Department has launched a pilot visa bond program targeting a handful of countries with high rates of visa overstays. Under that program, some B-1/B-2 visa applicants may be required to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, refundable if they comply with the terms of their stay. 

Mali says its bond regime will mirror the U.S. approach: the funds would be refunded if visa holders adhere to visa conditions such as departing on time. 

The two countries have long had diplomatic relations, though ties have frayed in recent years following Mali’s 2021 military coup, shifts in security partnerships, and disagreements over regional and international policy. The visa bond dispute adds a new dimension to this diplomatic tension. 

Travel and immigration analysts are watching closely to see how strictly Mali enforces the bond requirement, how many applicants it affects, and whether the U.S. or Mali will seek diplomatic resolution or exemptions.