…Trump Admin could impose US$15,000 bonds for some visitors
More than 3,100 Guyanese nationals who entered the United States (US) on non-immigrant visas for business or tourism purposes (B1/B2) overstayed their legal period of stay in Fiscal Year 2023 according to a newly released report by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The report paints a concerning picture of visa compliance for travelers from Guyana, placing the country well above the global overstay average. Between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023, a total of 56,965 Guyanese citizens were legally admitted to the US through air and sea ports of entry on nonimmigrant business and tourist visas. However, 3,186 individuals failed to depart the country within the authorised timeframe, resulting in an overall overstay rate of 5.59 per cent. Of this total, 3,070 were categorised as suspected in-country overstays, meaning they had no record of departure and no known change in immigration status. Additionally, 27 Guyanese nationals on student or exchange visas overstayed their time in the US. According to CBP, the global average overstay rate for nonimmigrant visitors during the same period was 1.45 per cent, making Guyana’s rate nearly four times higher. Overstays are considered serious immigration violations by US authorities and may lead to visa revocations, travel bans, or tighter visa issuance policies for nationals of affected countries.
Back in March, the US Embassy in Georgetown had cautioned individuals holding US non-immigrant visas about the severe consequences of overstaying their allotted time in the US. Overstaying a visa could lead to a permanent travel ban, according to a statement published on the embassy’s social media page on Tuesday. The embassy emphasised that visa holders must abide by the terms of their visas and adhere to their designated duration of stay. For visitors, the most common visa — the B1/B2 — allows for a stay of up to six months. However, visitors must depart before this period expires. Failure to do so could result in serious repercussions, including being barred from entering the US for life. Additionally, the Embassy noted that US consular officers have access to comprehensive immigration histories, ensuring that any violations, including overstays, are flagged.
“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 Embassy indicated. The warning comes amid a broader crackdown on illegal immigration by the US Government. Since President Donald Trump assumed office in January, there has been a significant increase in immigration enforcement actions. This includes raids across US communities, particularly those with large Guyanese and Caribbean populations. The embassy’s warning is part of this intensifying enforcement against illegal immigration, which also includes a halt on asylum seeker processing.
$15,000 bond
According to a Reuters report issued on Monday, the US could require bonds of up to $15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot programme launching in two weeks, a Government notice said, an effort that aims to crack down on visitors who overstay their visas.
It was made known that the programme gives US consular officers the discretion to impose bonds on visitors from countries with high rates of visa overstays, according to a Federal Register notice. Bonds could also be applied to people coming from countries where screening and vetting information is deemed insufficient, the notice said. President Donald Trump has made cracking down on illegal immigration a focus of his presidency, boosting resources to secure the border and arresting people in the US illegally. He issued a travel ban in June that fully or partially blocks citizens of 19 nations from entering the US on national security grounds. Trump’s immigration policies have led some visitors to skip travel to the US. Transatlantic airfares dropped to rates last seen before the COVID-19 pandemic in May and travel from Canada and Mexico to the US fell by 20 per cent year-over-year.
The same report indicated that effective August 20, the new visa programme will last for approximately a year, the Government notice said. As a result, Consular officers will have three options for visa applicants subjected to the bonds: $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, but will generally be expected to require at least $10,000, it said.
