“If you overstay your US visa, you could face a permanent ban on traveling to the United States.”

From the United States mission in Nigeria came a stern warning to those who may be thinking of overstaying their US visa: violators risk permanent bans from re-entering the country.

This was made known on Monday via its X handle.

The immigration authorities clarified that consular officers can access an individual’s full immigration history, making it nearly impossible to avoid penalties for past violations.

They further emphasised that travellers are responsible for adhering to the terms of their visa and that ignorance of visa regulations will not be accepted as an excuse.

“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 learnt that those who overstay their visa for more than 180 days but less than a year may face a three-year re-entry ban.

If the overstay exceeds one year, the penalty could be a 10-year ban.

Repeat offenders or those with serious violations risk a permanent lifetime ban.