Mali, the eighth-largest country in Africa, has a predominantly young population, with nearly half its citizens under the age of 15 and more than 40% living below the poverty line. Since a military junta seized power in 2020, Mali, home to storied destinations such as the legendary city of Timbuktu, has seen its relations with the United States deteriorate sharply. Diplomatic and military ties have been cut, U.S. sanctions imposed, and Washington has grown increasingly critical of the junta's authoritarian rule and its deepening relations with Russia.

On October 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of State launched a Visa Bond Pilot Program, requiring citizens of Mali to post a bond before receiving business or tourist visas. Less than forty-eight hours later, in a retaliatory move, Mali announced that U.S. nationals visiting the West African nation would also be subject to an identical bond requirement. The visa measures come despite recent efforts to improve diplomatic relations between the two countries.

U.S.-Mali Ties Strained Amid Reciprocal Visa Measures

Last week, in coordination with the Departments of the Treasury and Homeland Security, the U.S. State Department launched a Visa Bond Pilot Program. Effective October 23, 2025, the program requires eligible Malian nationals seeking B-1/B-2 business or tourist visas to post a bond of up to $10,000 before their visas can be issued.

On Saturday, October 11, Mali's Foreign Ministry announced that U.S. nationals visiting the West African nation would be required to post a bond of up to $10,000 for business and tourist visas, mirroring the requirement imposed by the U.S. government on Malian citizens.

"In application of reciprocity, Mali decided to establish an identical visa program, imposing on American nationals the same conditions and requirements as those applied to Malian citizens," the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

While the U.S. embassy in Mali framed the bond for multiple countries as a measure to reinforce Washington's "commitment to protecting America's borders and safeguarding U.S. national security," citing high overstay rates, screening gaps, and other factors, Mali's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that the policy had been imposed unilaterally. In response, the Malian government announced it would introduce an identical visa program for U.S. citizens.

Mali's Coup of 2020

After the Coup of 2020, Mali has been ruled by a military junta led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, who has consolidated power and effectively ended the transition to democratic rule. The militant blockade of trade routes and a deteriorating security environment have caused surging fuel prices and severely strained economic activity. Ongoing violence, displacement, and a worsening economy have intensified the crisis, with millions requiring humanitarian assistance.

The U.S. travel advisory for Mali, last updated on July 31, 2023, remains at Level 4: Do Not Travel, due to risks from crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. Travelers who still plan to visit Mali or other high-risk regions are urged to follow State Department guidelines carefully.

Mali's Junta Faces International Isolation

Since the 2020 and 2021 military coups in Mali, there have been many accounts of human rights violations, including abuses by the ruling military junta and allied foreign forces, atrocities committed by armed Islamist groups and ethnic militias, and severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms. The widespread insecurity in Mali is a root cause of population displacement, including asylum claims and illegal immigration to the United States.

While official statistics specifically linking Malian visa overstays to human rights abuses are not publicly available, the dire conditions in Mali lead many to seek refuge abroad, sometimes through irregular means. One of the reasons for the U.S. Visa Bond Program is to address the challenge of applicants from countries with high overstay rates, like Mali.

Mali's withdrawal of consent from the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in June 2023 has introduced a new crisis of insecurity, as it alienates itself from Western partners, withdraws from regional bodies, and aligns with Russia. This self-imposed isolation has worsened the country's security situation, economy, and humanitarian crisis.

U.S. Travelers Hit With $10,000 Fee As West African Country Retaliates Against President Trump's Visa Bond