https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2729glzx8o



Mali imposes $10,000 visa bond on US visitors in tit-for-tat move
1 day ago


Martin Mwangi BBC Monitoring

The US has taken a tough line on immigration since President Donald Trump took office in January

Mali has announced that US nationals visiting the West African country will be required to post a bond of up to $10,000 (£7,500) for business and tourist visas, in response to a similar requirement the Trump administration has imposed on its citizens.

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".

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 visa policy shift comes despite moves to improve diplomatic relations between the two countries.


In July, US officials visited Mali to discuss counterterrorism cooperation and economic partnerships, including potential access to Mali's gold and lithium reserves.

Relations deteriorated after a coup in Mali in 2021 led to Gen Assimi Goïta sweeping to power.

He pivoted the West African state towards Russia in a bid to stem a growing insurgency by jihadists.

He expelled French troops, and brought in mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group, which is under Moscow's defence ministry. They have since been replaced by Africa Corps.

Last week, Burkina Faso's military government refused to take in deportees from the US, as Washington suspended issuing visas in the West African nation.

Foreign affairs minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré questioned if the embassy's decision was "blackmail" after he said he had rejected a US proposal to take in migrants from third countries.

The Trump administration has turned to African countries as a destination to deport migrants to as part of its crackdown on immigration.

https://travel.state.gov/conte...t-to-visa-bonds.html



Countries Subject to Visa Bonds

Last Updated: October 8, 2025
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)

This is outlined in INA Section 221(g)(3) and the Temporary Final Rule (TFR) establishing the pilot program. It is based on the B1/B2 overstay rate per the Department of Homeland Security’s FY 2024 Entry/Exit Overstay Report.

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.

Applicants should submit Form I-352 to post a bond only after a consular officer directs them to do so. Applicants will get a direct link to pay through Pay.gov. They must not use any third-party website for posting the bond. The U.S. Government is not responsible for any money paid outside of its systems.

A bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If someone pays fees without a consular officer’s direction, this person will not get that money back.

Required ports of entry

As a condition of the bond, all visa holders who have posted a visa bond must enter and exit the United States through the designated ports of entry listed below. Not doing this might lead to a denied entry or a departure that is not properly recorded:

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Visa bond compliance

The full visa bond amount will be returned if the applicant follows all terms of their nonimmigrant visa status and the visa bond. These terms are set on the bond form Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352 Immigration Bonds and on Travel.State.Gov. The bond will be canceled and the money returned automatically in these situations:

The visa holder departs from the United States on or before the date they are authorized to stay in the United States, or
The visa holder does not travel to the United States before the expiration of the visa, or
The visa holder applies for and is denied admission at the U.S. port of entry.
Visa bond breach

The Department of Homeland Security will send cases where the visa holder may have broken the visa bond terms to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This is to determine if there was a breach. It includes, but is not limited to, these situations:

The visa holder departs from the United States after the date when he or she is authorized to stay in the United States.
The visa holder stays in the United States after the date he or she is authorized to do so and does not leave.
The visa holder applies to adjust out of nonimmigrant status, including claiming asylum.

Well, that’s just the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Guess I’ll never be going to Mali!

I guess my trip to Timbuktu will have to wait. I guess I should have gone years ago while it was safe AND cheap.

Man, oh man.

I am so disappointed.

I was looking forward to my trip to Mali and being kidnapped and held for ransom by Boko Haram.