JAPA: Overstay your visa, face permanent ban, US warns Nigerians
The U.S. government has issued a serious warning to foreign nationals, including Nigerians, indicating that overstaying a U.S. visa may result in deportation and a permanent ban on re-entering the country.In a statement released to the media on Monday by the U.S. mission in Nigeria, immigration authorities emphasized their ongoing policy regarding visa adherence, declaring: “If you stay in the United States beyond your permitted time, you may be deported and face a permanent ban on traveling to the United States.”
This alert arises amidst increasing migration trends, particularly among young Africans, many of whom travel to the United States seeking improved educational and economic opportunities or trying to escape insecurity and hardship in their home countries — a situation referred to in Nigeria as “japa.”
Recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security indicate that visa overstays account for a considerable number of immigration violations each year, leading to stricter enforcement actions and renewed public awareness initiatives by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Experts caution that many travelers fail to grasp the repercussions of overstaying a visa, mistakenly believing in potential leniency or the chance to change their status while remaining in the country. However, under U.S. immigration law, individuals who unlawfully stay in the country for more than 180 days can incur a ban of three to ten years — and in certain instances, a lifetime prohibition from returning.
For Nigerians aspiring to move or study in the U.S., this warning acts as a crucial reminder to adhere closely to immigration regulations, especially as global scrutiny on migration intensifies.
Legal experts also note that the U.S. government is becoming increasingly less accommodating towards undocumented immigrants in the post-COVID, post-Trump era, despite a more diplomatic stance taken by the Biden administration.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has not yet released a local advisory regarding the statement, but travelers are advised to verify the expiration dates on their visas and seek legal guidance if they intend to extend their stay lawfully.
As the “Japa” movement persists, many observers feel this development may hinder the ambitions of those relying on extended — and often undocumented — stays in the United States.
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