MALI HITS BACK WITH $10,000 US VISA IMPOUND

(The Post News) – In a bold diplomatic move, Mali has announced a new visa policy requiring U.S. citizens to post a refundable bond of up to $10,000 when applying for business or tourist visas. The decision, effective from October 2025, is a direct response to a similar measure imposed by the Trump administration on Malian nationals seeking entry into the United States.

Under the new policy, US citizens applying for business or tourist visas to Mali will be required to post a refundable bond, the same range of $5,000 to $10,000 now demanded of Malian visitors to the United States.

Mali’s foreign ministry, in a statement, emphasised that Mali had long cooperated with the U.S. in good faith but could not accept what it described as “unilateral and discriminatory” actions.

Mali’s Foreign Ministry insists the measure is not punitive but rather a mirror of U.S. policy. “We are simply applying the same standards to American visitors that their government applies to ours,” a spokesperson said.

U.S. Reaction and Program

The program introduced earlier this year, targets countries deemed to have high rates of visa overstays. Mali was among those listed, with its citizens required to post bonds of up to $15,000 for short-term visits. The Star reported that this policy has been widely criticized across West Africa, with Mali now taking the lead in pushing back.

BBC Monitoring reported that the US embassy in Mali said on Friday the fee had been introduced to reinforce Washington’s “commitment to protecting America’s borders and safeguarding US national security”.

Diplomatic Tensions

The Timing of Mali’s announcement coincides with broader tensions between the two nations, as in July, US officials visited Mali to discuss counterterrorism cooperation and economic partnerships, including potential access to Mali’s gold and lithium reserves.

This visit was an attempt according to Mail & Gaurdian to mend ties through counterterrorism and economic cooperation talks. This is since 2021 coup that brought Colonel Assimi Goïta to power, Mali has faced increasing scrutiny from Western governments.

However the visa bond issue has reqignited the diplomatic friction.