The Consul General at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, Elliot Fertik has cautioned Ghanaians travelling to the United States for the upcoming FIFA World Cup against overstaying their visas, warning that such actions carry serious legal and long-term consequences.
Speaking on World Cup Central on Channel One TV on Friday, May 15, Mr Fertik said there are concerns that some travellers may attempt to use the tournament as an opportunity to remain in the United States illegally after the competition.
He stressed that visa overstays and illegal stay in the U.S. are not only violations of immigration laws but also have wider implications for other Ghanaian travellers seeking to visit the country legally.
According to him, immigration authorities closely monitor overstay rates by nationality, saying that repeated violations by individuals from a particular country can negatively affect future visa approvals for other applicants.
“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 urged prospective travellers to comply strictly with visa conditions, stressing that overstaying is not worth the risk.
“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 reiterated that illegal immigration and overstaying undermine legitimate travel opportunities and damage trust between immigration systems and applicants.
