The United States government has warned Nigerians that there could be serious consequences for overstaying their visa.
Travellers, who are found guilty, could face permanent bans from re-entering the US.
The US Mission in Nigeria made this known in a post on its X page on Monday.
The immigration authorities noted that consular officers can access an individual’s full immigration history, making it nearly impossible to avoid penalties for past violations.
“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,” the US Mission stated.
It is understood that those who overstay their visa beyond 180 days but less than a year could face a three-year re-entry ban.
However, if the overstay exceeds one year, the punishment could be a 10-year ban.
President Donald Trump’s administration recently expanded the group of immigrants it has targeted for removal, quarrels with judges as it wades into increasingly risky political territory.
In his first weeks in office, Trump had emphasized a mass deportation campaign aimed at criminals who are in the country illegally.
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