• Mali will now require U.S. nationals to post a visa bond of $5,000 or $10,000, mirroring new American visa conditions for Malians.
• Bamako says the U.S. measure violates a 2005 bilateral visa agreement between the two countries.
• The decision comes amid strained diplomatic relations since Mali’s 2020 and 2021 coups.

Mali’s government said on Sunday, October 12, that it will apply reciprocal visa conditions to U.S. citizens after Washington introduced a pilot visa bond program targeting Malian applicants.

The measure will subject U.S. nationals seeking Malian visas to the same financial requirements now imposed on Malians applying for business or tourist visas (B-1/B-2) to the United States.

The U.S. pilot program, set to begin on October 23, 2025, requires Malian citizens to deposit a bond of either $5,000 or $10,000 as a condition for visa issuance.

In a statement, Bamako said the policy “undermines the provisions of the Agreement on the Establishment of a Multiple-Entry Long-Term Visa” signed between the two countries and effective since April 14, 2005.

The decision adds to a series of diplomatic frictions between Mali and the United States, which have intensified since the military coups in 2020 and 2021. In response to those events, Washington suspended portions of its military and financial aid to Mali and urged a swift return to constitutional order.

Despite political strains, bilateral trade remains significant, totaling $184 million in 2023, according to data from the International Trade Centre (ITC).

In its statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the government remains committed to “promoting fruitful cooperation with the United States of America within the framework of dialogue and mutual respect.”

The ministry added that Mali’s decision to apply reciprocity is consistent with international diplomatic practice and the country’s sovereign right to ensure balanced bilateral relations.

This article was initially published in French by Ingrid Haffiny (Intern)

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum