The U.S. Consul General in Ghana, Elliot Fertik, has warned Ghanaians heading to the United States (US) for the upcoming FIFA World Cup not to overstay their visas, saying the practice comes with serious legal and lasting consequences.
Speaking on World Cup Central on Channel One TV on Friday, May 15, which was monitored by Ghanaian Radar, Mr Fertik said officials were worried that some visitors might try to use the tournament as a chance to remain in the United States unlawfully after the event ends.
He noted that visa overstays and illegal residence in the U.S. breach immigration rules and also create problems for other Ghanaians who want to travel to the country legally.
According to him, immigration officials track overstay rates by nationality and repeated violations by people from one country can hurt future visa chances for others applying.
“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.
Mr. Fertik advised prospective travelers to follow visa terms strictly, stressing that overstaying carries risks that aren’t worth taking. “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.
“We have been trying to get this message out—that illegal immigration, overstaying, is just not worth the risk,” he said.He restated that illegal immigration and overstaying undermine genuine travel and erode trust between immigration authorities and applicants.
