Mali has announced that U.S. citizens will now have to post a visa bond of up to $10,000 in response to a similar U.S. requirement imposed on Malian nationals.
Mali on Sunday confirmed a new visa policy requiring American citizens to post a bond of up to $10,000 before being granted entry, in what Bamako says is a reciprocal measure to Washington’s own bond regime.
The foreign ministry described the decision as an “identical visa programme” intended to uphold the “principle of equality” in response to what Malian officials view as the U.S. bond system’s “unilateral and discriminatory” nature.
Under U.S. policy championed during Donald Trump’s presidency, applicants from several nations (including Mali) had been required to post refundable bonds between $5,000 and $15,000 before visa approval.
Analysts warn that the bond requirement could inhibit American business and tourist activity in Mali, particularly in its mining sector, and represents a broader pattern of pushback from African states over perceived U.S. double standards.