Embassy warns: Nigerians overstaying in US risk ban

US Embassy, Abuja

The US Mission in Nigeria has urged Nigerian travellers to adhere strictly to the terms of their United States visas, stating that misusing them could jeopardise future travel to the country.

The Mission stated this in a statement on its X account on Tuesday.

Providing what constitutes misuse of a U.S. visa, the Mission explained that overstaying in the country beyond the authorised period may lead to severe consequences, including restrictions on future travel.

It said, “It’s important to use your US visa according to its terms. Misusing it, for example, by overstaying, may affect your ability to travel to the U.S. in the future.

The warning comes amid growing concerns over strict US visa policies for application and compliance.

The US Department of State had reported over 700,000 visa overstays in 2023 alone, with Nigeria ranking among the top countries affected.

According to the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, a lesser-known but strictly enforced law that imposes a three-year ban on reentry for overstays between 180 and 365 days and a ten-year ban for those exceeding a year. Punch