From 2 April, travellers from Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and Tunisia seeking US B1 or B2 visas for business or tourism will be required to post a refundable bond of $15,000, according to the U.S. Department of State.
The expansion means that Africa now accounts for about 60% of the 50 countries globally subject to the scheme, which Washington says is designed to curb visa overstays. Many of the affected countries already face varying degrees of US immigration restrictions.
The administration also argued that the policy has saved “hundreds of millions of dollars every year” for American taxpayers.
US defends policy as critics warn of economic and diplomatic fallout
Officials point to data from the final year of the Joe Biden administration, which they say recorded more than 44,000 overstays from countries now included in the visa bond list.
Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, cautioned that the move risks damaging relations with a continent widely seen as a future engine of global growth.
He argued that imposing high entry costs runs counter to efforts to deepen ties, adding that the US should instead be “trying to figure out how we can have greater relationships” rather than making travel more difficult.
The diplomatic implications are already becoming apparent as Washington previously adjusted the policy for strategic reasons, including temporarily exempting Mali while seeking cooperation on a security matter, before later imposing broader travel restrictions on Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, prompting reciprocal measures.
Mauritius, Ethiopia inclusion highlights rising tensions before key US-Africa engagements
The inclusion of Mauritius has proven particularly sensitive, coming just months before the island nation is due to host the US-Africa Business Summit.
Former president Ameenah Gurib-Fakim described the decision as a “worrying surprise”, noting that it risks undermining the spirit of engagement the summit is intended to foster.
The move also affects Ethiopia, one of America’s key African trading partners and a major source of visitors to the US. Despite facing tariffs, Ethiopia has recently expanded exports to the US, with trade gains driven in part by a sharp rise in solar-related shipments.
As Washington tightens its immigration controls, analysts warn that the visa bond expansion could reshape mobility between Africa and the United States, with potential consequences for business, diplomacy, and people-to-people ties at a time when global competition for influence on the continent is intensifying.
