US Embassy Cautions Ghanaians Against Visa Overstay Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
- US Consul General warned Ghanaians against visa overstaying during the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted in America and two other countries
- According to Elliot Fertik, the Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, overstaying can lead to serious legal repercussions
- He encouraged prospective travellers to comply strictly with visa conditions, stressing that overstaying is not worth the risk
Elliot Fertik, the Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, has warned Ghanaians travelling to the United States for the FIFA World Cup against overstaying their visas.
According to him, such actions have legal and long-term consequences on both the individual and other citizens who want to travel.
Source: Getty Images
In an interview with Accra-based Channel One TV, Elliot Fertik said the Embassy is concerned that some travellers may not return after the World Cup. He indicated that such people may want to be in the US illegally.
"There are some people who think they can use this as an opportunity to overstay or just to illegally stay in the United States. And that’s really unfortunate because not only are they breaking the law, but they’re also making it harder for other Ghanaians," he said.
He explained that immigration officials monitor the overstay rates by nationality, and such repeated violations from nationals of a particular country can negatively affect future approvals for other applicants.
"We do pay attention to how many people from a given country overstay, and the higher that rate, frankly, the harder it is sometimes to be able to give visas and to facilitate the level of travel that we want to."
Elliot Fertik admonished prospective travellers to comply strictly with visa conditions, stressing that overstaying is not worth the risk.
"We have been trying to get this message out—that illegal immigration, overstaying, is just not worth the risk," he said.
The Consul General at the US Embassy in Ghana reiterated that illegal immigration and overstaying undermine legitimate travel opportunities and damage trust between immigration systems and applicants.
Lawyer lists penalty for visa overstay
A US-based Ghanaian lawyer, Elisa N. Kumadey, offered legal education to Ghanaians and other nationals eager to travel to America.
Taking to Facebook, the respected lawyer explained why persons travelling to the US should not overstay their visa.
With this, she mentioned that overstaying your visa may come with serious repercussions, which may even affect your travel to the US.
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"Overstaying your visa isn't just a small mistake. It can have serious consequences that affect your future travel and opportunities."
Lawyer Kumadey then went ahead to talk about the five serious consequences that await persons who are found to have overstayed their visas.
At the top of the list of penalties for people found to have overstayed their visas is the risk of being barred from returning to the US.
The second consequence for persons found to have violated their visa timelines by staying longer than expected is that they may be required to pay hefty fines as punishment for violating US laws.
Thirdly, travellers to the US could also be detained and immediately deported back to their country of origin if they are found to have stayed in the country longer than they have been asked to stay.
The fourth serious consequence is that anyone found to have overstayed their visa may be denied future visas.
The final serious consequence she also mentioned is that anyone who overstays their visa runs the risk of damaging their immigration record and history.
Twene Jonas talks about deportation
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that US-based social commentator Twene Jonas slammed Ghanaians for attempting to have him deported.
The outspoken government critic, in a video, said individuals had reported him to authorities, but their efforts had failed.
Source: YEN.com.gh
