THE United States (US) Government has cautioned Nigerians travelling to the country on the consequences of overstaying their visa, saying violators risk permanent bans from re-entering the country.
In a post X on Monday, March 24, by the US Mission in Nigeria, the immigration authorities clarified that consular officers can access an individual’s full immigration history, making it nearly impossible to avoid penalties for past violations.
It stressed that travellers are responsible for adhering to the terms of their visa and that ignorance of visa regulations would not be accepted as an excuse.
The Mission added: “If you overstay your US visa, you could face a permanent ban on travelling to the United States.
“Consular officers have full access to your immigration history and will know about past violations. There is no such thing as an ‘honest mistake,’ it is your responsibility to use your visa correctly.”
Those who overstay their visa for by over 180 days, but less than a year, could face a three-year re-entry ban, while overstay exceeding one year could attract a penalty of up to 10-year ban.
Repeated offenders or those with serious violations risk a permanent lifetime ban.
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