The West African nation’s foreign ministry said the move was taken after Washington imposed the policy “unilaterally,” prompting Bamako to implement “an identical visa programme” for visiting US citizens.
The US embassy in Mali confirmed the new rule on Friday, saying it reflected Washington’s “commitment to protecting America’s borders and safeguarding US national security.”
The visa bond — intended as a refundable deposit meant to ensure travelers return home after their stay — marks a rare escalation in travel restrictions between the two countries, coming amid recent efforts to mend strained relations.
In July, senior US officials visited Bamako to discuss counterterrorism cooperation and economic partnerships, including possible American investment in Mali’s gold and lithium sectors. But the new visa policy now threatens to undercut those talks.
Relations between Mali and the United States have been uneasy since the 2021 military coup that brought Gen Assimi Goïta to power. Since then, Mali’s ruling junta has distanced itself from Western partners, forging closer ties with Russia in a bid to combat jihadist insurgencies ravaging the Sahel region. The government expelled French forces and welcomed Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group, who have since been reorganized under Moscow’s Africa Corps.
The latest move also follows growing tensions between Washington and other West African military governments. Last week, Burkina Faso’s junta refused to accept US deportees after Washington suspended visa issuance in the country. Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré questioned whether the US decision amounted to “blackmail,” claiming he had rejected a proposal for his country to take in migrants from third nations.
The Trump administration’s renewed emphasis on immigration enforcement has increasingly targeted African countries, with some being approached as potential destinations for deported migrants. Mali’s decision to reciprocate the visa bond policy underscores the souring mood toward Washington among parts of the region’s new military-led governments — and signals that diplomatic and migration disputes are deepening across West Africa.