US warns Nigerians against overstaying visas, introduces stricter immigration policies

The United States government has issued a strong warning to Nigerians regarding the dangers of overstaying their approved visa period, stating that such actions will lead to deportation and a possible lifetime ban from entering the country.

This comes amidst a wave of travel restrictions and immigration regulations under the administration of President Donald Trump.

In a post shared by the US Mission in Nigeria on its official X handle, the embassy reminded Nigerian travellers of the grave consequences of remaining in the US beyond their authorised stay. “If you remain in the United States beyond your authorised period of stay, you could be deported and could face a permanent ban on travelling to the United States in the future,” the post read.

This warning follows a recent update to the US visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria, reducing non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to three-month single entries. The American authorities cited reasons such as security concerns, visa overstays, misuse of documentation, and reciprocity issues for the changes.

Additionally, a new $250 mandatory Visa Integrity Fee has been introduced for applicants seeking tourist, student, worker, or exchange visitor visas. Beyond this, extra non-waivable surcharges like a $24 I-94 fee and a $13 ESTA fee for Visa Waiver Program travellers have been added. The US authorities stated that only diplomatic categories A and G would be exempt from these charges.

The Trump administration has been pursuing aggressive immigration reforms, including mandatory social media screenings for applicants in F, M, and J visa categories. Under this policy, applicants must disclose all social media usernames and adjust privacy settings to public to enable thorough vetting.

Describing every visa approval as a national security decision, the US Embassy stressed that these measures aim to protect American citizens and prevent individuals who may harbour harmful intentions from gaining entry.

President Trump had earlier signed executive orders to enhance immigration screening, crack down on illegal immigration, and prevent any form of support for extremist groups from within the US.

Nigerians intending to travel to the US are therefore advised to strictly adhere to their visa conditions and observe the new policies to avoid sanctions.