Tit-for-Tat: $10,000 Visa Bond Imposed on U.S. Citizens Seeking Entry

A few weeks back, the US Department of State introduced the requirement of a visa bond for nationals from certain countries, if they intend to visit the US. As per the bond requirement, visitors from these countries could have do deposit a visa bond to the tune of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, determined during the visa interview. Now, one country from that list has decided to retaliate by introducing its own visa bond if US citizens wish to ravel there.

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Mali introduces $10,000 Visa Bond Requirement

Mali is a country in West Africa with a population of appromixately 24 Million. This country was part of the list introduced by the US Department of State.

The Department of State has identified nationals from these countries as needing visa bonds.  The implementation dates are in parentheses:

• Mali (October 23, 2025)
• Mauritania (October 23, 2025)
• Sao Tome and Principe (October 23, 2025)
• Tanzania (October 23, 2025)
• The Gambia (October 11, 2025)
• Malawi (August 20, 2025)
• Zambia (August 20, 2025)

Any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000.  The amount is determined at the time of the visa interview.  The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352.  Applicants must agree to the terms of the bond, through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform Pay.gov.  This requirement applies regardless of place of application.

As per BBC, US citizens who now wish to visit Mali will have to furnish their own bond of $10,000. This bond requirement applies to both business and tourist visas.

Mali’s foreign ministry said on Sunday the bond had been imposed unilaterally, and it had decided to “establish an identical visa programme” for US citizens.

The Pundit’s Mantra

Overall, the retaliatory move by the Mali government seems to be poilitical in nature, in response to the US government’s own policy announcement a few weeks back. Tourism from the US to Mali is negligible, so it’s bound to have very little impact.

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