The information gathered from the United States Government Report on Visa Overstays for the year 2023 reveals Ghanaians are overstaying their visa more than Nigerians.
An overstay is defined as a nonimmigrant who was legally permitted into the United States but remained in the United States beyond the permitted period of admission.
According to the report from the period of October 2022 to September 2023 Ghanaians who travel abroad with B1/B2 and F, M, and J Non-Immigrant Visas are ahead of Nigeria in overstaying their visa period.
In the United States Government Report in 2023, Nigerians had 84,051 B1B2 visas issued, out of which 6,000 Nigerians overstayed indicating 7.14% compared to Ghana’s 25,454 B1B2 visas were issued to Ghanaians, out of which 1,910 overstayed indicating 7.50%.
With the overstayed Nonimmigrant Ghanaians admitted to the US as Students and Exchange Visitors (F, M, J), the figures detailed an abuse rate of 21% as 2,559 visas were issued with 537 of the number overstaying and remaining in the US.
Nigerian students and Exchange visitors had 7,556 FMJ visas issued in 2023, out of which 1,179, indicating 15.60%, compared to Ghana’s 21%.
United States Government Report on Visa Overstays however detailed that, Ghanaians had a better US visa record than Nigerians before the pandemic.
