A recent U.S. government report reveals a significant shift in visa overstay trends, with Ghana surpassing Nigeria in the misuse of B1/B2, F, M, and J non-immigrant visas between October 2022 and September 2023.
The report examines individuals who stayed in the U.S. beyond their authorized period without a recorded departure or an approved visa extension. It found that there were 510,363 suspected in-country overstays, accounting for 1.31% of expected departures. Additionally, there were 54,792 out-of-country overstays, representing 0.14% of expected departures.
Ghana’s Visa Overstay Rate
In 2023, Ghana issued 25,454 B1/B2 visas for business and tourism. Of these, 1,910 individuals overstayed their visas, giving a 7.5% overstay rate. The overstay rate for student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and J categories) was much higher at 21%, with 537 out of 2,559 visa holders remaining in the U.S. unlawfully.
These figures mark a decline in visa compliance compared to 2019, when 28,844 B1/B2 visas were issued and the overstay rate stood at 5.09%. The student visa overstay rate that year was 12.7%.
Nigeria’s Visa Overstay Rate
Nigeria, which issued 84,051 B1/B2 visas in 2023, had a slightly lower overstay rate of 7.14%, with 6,000 Nigerians overstaying their visas. The overstay rate for student and exchange visitor visas was 15.6%, with 7,556 visas issued, significantly lower than Ghana’s 21%.
In 2019, Nigeria issued 177,835 B1/B2 visas, with a 9.88% overstay rate. The student visa overstay rate that year was 13.43%.
Other African Countries
The report also highlights overstay rates in other African nations, including:
Togo: 19%
Burkina Faso: 12.13%
Ivory Coast: 7.48%
Mali: 5.27%
Understanding Visa Overstays
A visa overstay occurs when a person stays in the U.S. longer than allowed. These are categorized as in-country overstays (no departure recorded) or out-of-country overstays (departure after the allowed time). The report stresses that to accurately assess visa compliance, factors like extensions or status adjustments must be considered.
The analysis reflects improved data collection methods aimed at providing a clearer picture of visa compliance trends among international travelers to the U.S.
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