DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 23 -- TANZANIAS inclusion in a U.S. visa bond program and repeated security warnings expose how modern diplomacy can quietly mirror the old colonial order.

When the United States announced that Tanzanians would soon have to pay up to $15,000 to secure a business or tourist visa, it called the move “a tool for border security.” But for many in Dar es Salaam, the decision carried a different weight — a reminder that control over African mobility is still written elsewhere.

Beginning October 23, 2025, Tanzanians applying for short-term visas under the Visa Bond Pilot Program must deposit thousands of dollars, refundable only if they return home before their visa expires. The program, previously used un...