Following the Trump administration’s announcement that the West African country would be included in its visa bond program, Mali has announced that it will ask U.S. nationals to deposit bonds of up to $10,000 for business and tourist visas, according to Reuters.
US added Mali to the list of countries whose nationals will need to post visa bonds before entering America. Effective October 23, 2025, nationals of Mali who are otherwise found eligible for a B-1/B-2 business or tourist visa will be required to post a visa bond of up to $10,000 before the visa can be issued. This requirement applies to all Malian passport holders regardless of place of application.
Under the visa bond program, consular officers must require any citizen or national traveling on a passport issued by Mali who is found otherwise eligible for a B-1/B-2 visa to post a bond for $5,000 or $10,000.
The funds will be returned to travellers if they depart in accordance with the terms of their visas, according to a U.S. government notice.
Similar restrictions have been placed on US travellers to the country by Mali in retaliation.
In a statement on Sunday, Mali’s foreign ministry said the government “deplores the unilateral decision by the U.S. government”, adding that it undermines an earlier bilateral agreement on long-stay multiple-entry visas.
In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, Mali has decided to introduce an identical visa program, imposing the same conditions and requirements on U.S. nationals as those applied to Malian citizens,” the statement said, according to Reuters.
On October 8, the US updated the list of nations whose citizens on B-1/B-2 business or tourist visa would be required to post a visa bond before entering America. The visa bond list has been revised with the addition of four more nations, bringing the total to seven.
The four countries, added to the visa bond list are – Mali (October 23, 2025), Mauritania (October 23, 2025), Sao Tome and Principe (October 23, 2025) and Tanzania (October 23, 2025).
The 3 countries already on the visa bond list Gambia (added on October 11, 2025), Malawi (added on August 20, 2025) and Zambia (added on August 20, 2025).
The visa bond program is based on the Visa overstays, which refers to non-immigrants admitted to the US lawfully but stayed beyond their authorized period, based on the B1/B2 overstay rate from the Department of Homeland Security.
Data shows, fewer than 3,000 non-immigrant U.S. visas are issued to Malians each year. The FY 2023 Overstay Rates for Nonimmigrants Admitted to the United States for business or pleasure show a total Overstay Rate of 5.27% for Mali.