US Mandates Up to $15,000 Visa Deposit for Zambian and Malawian Visitors

The United States has unveiled its most stringent visa restrictions on African countries in decades, citing national security concerns, high overstay rates, and diplomatic disputes. Rolled out between April and August 2025, these measures—part of the revived “America First” agenda—affect travel, tourism, business, and academic exchanges across the continent.

Effective August 20, B-1/B-2 applicants from Malawi and Zambia must post refundable bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 based on consular assessments of overstay histories (14% for Malawi; 11% for Zambia in FY 2023). Only travelers who depart on schedule will receive bond refunds.

On July 8, visa validity for Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Ethiopia was slashed to single-entry, three-month terms, replacing previous two-year, multiple-entry permits. This move, justified by reciprocity claims, compels frequent visitors to reapply and incur additional fees.

Beginning June 9, citizens of Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan were barred from entry over terrorism and vetting concerns. On April 5, all South Sudanese visas were revoked after Juba refused to accept deportees. As of July 26, the U.S. Embassy in Niamey suspended visa services amid diplomatic tensions and a 27% student-visa overstay rate.

In August, the U.S. signed third-country resettlement agreements with Rwanda, Eswatini, and South Sudan to accept deportees under U.S.-funded support programs. With 25 additional African countries under review for potential sanctions, the African Union warns these policies risk long-term damage to U.S.–Africa relations.