Nigerians travelling to the United States have been warned about the strict consequences of overstaying their visa.
U.S. immigration officials explained that those who stay beyond their approved period risk being permanently banned from entering the country again.
According to the officials, U.S. consular officers have access to each traveller’s immigration history, making it easy for them to detect past violations.
This means anyone who overstays will likely face penalties.
Ignorance of visa rules is not an excuse, as travellers are expected to comply with the terms of their stay.
Under U.S. immigration laws, individuals who overstay by more than 180 days but less than a year may face a three-year ban from re-entering the country.
Those who overstay for a year or more could face a ban lasting up to 10 years.
Repeat violators or individuals with severe infractions may be permanently banned from entering the U.S.
Travellers are advised to carefully monitor their visa expiration dates.
If they need to stay longer than planned, they are encouraged to seek legal advice to avoid breaching U.S. immigration regulations.
That’s a great idea