The visa bond policy, enacted by the Trump administration, affects two African nations — Zambia and Malawi. It requires certain visitors from these countries to pay a refundable bond of up to $15000 as a condition for entry into the US and was introduced to encourage compliance with visa terms and curb overstays.
The Zambian government’s statement, issued on Friday, comes amid growing unease in several countries targeted by the rule, which Washington says is aimed at discouraging overstays on specific visa categories.
“While the (U.S.) government has a prerogative to initiate policy changes, the Zambian government views this development with serious concern, given its potential economic implications on trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people exchanges,” Foreign Minister Mulambo Haimbe said in the statement. “This includes the unnecessary financial strain on Zambian nationals.”
Malawi, another African nation affected by the policy, has also raised concerns over the measure. The move comes as Trump intensifies his crackdown on illegal immigration, increasing resources to secure the border with Mexico and arrest people in the U.S. illegally.
Trump-era visa clampdown on African nations
President Donald Trump has implemented a series of immigration measures that have had a pronounced impact on several African nations.
These actions included tightening visa rules, expanding the travel ban in 2020 to cover Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, and Tanzania, and launching a visa bond program requiring applicants from certain countries to deposit up to $15,000.
The policy changes, which also imposed stricter vetting on students and temporary workers, have fuelled perceptions of a U.S. increasingly resistant to African engagement.
African governments and rights groups have condemned the measures as discriminatory and damaging to U.S.-Africa relations.
While Washington insists that the visa bond is refundable if travellers comply with visa term such as departing on time, critics argue the requirement disproportionately burdens lower- and middle-income applicants, while leaving wealthier travellers relatively unaffected. Diplomatic discussions are ongoing, with Zambia signalling plans to press the U.S. for either an exemption or a review of the policy.
