The United States has issued a strong warning to Nigerians over overstaying their visas, stating that any violation of the authorised stay period could lead to deportation and a permanent ban from entering the country.
“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 US Mission in Nigeria posted via its official X handle on Monday, July 14.
This comes amid a wave of visa restrictions and immigration reforms under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Last week, the US revised its visa reciprocity policy for Nigerians, reducing the duration of non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to a single three-month entry.
The new policy cited concerns over visa overstays, inadequate documentation, and national security.
In addition, a mandatory $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” has been introduced for categories including student (F and M), tourist/business (B-1/B-2), worker (H-1B), and exchange visitor (J) visas.
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Other surcharges now imposed include a $24 I-94 fee and a $13 ESTA fee for travellers under the Visa Waiver Program. Only diplomatic visa applicants under categories A and G are exempted from these charges.
Also, all applicants for F, M, or J visas must now make their personal social media profiles public.
In a statement, the US Embassy in Nigeria said:
“Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States.”
Since assuming office, President Trump has rolled out several strict immigration policies, ordering increased scrutiny of visa applicants and immigrants already residing in the country.
He also signed executive orders aimed at preventing illegal immigration, screening out individuals considered threats, and ensuring immigrants do not support hostile activities against the US.