A recent U.S. government report has revealed a significant shift in visa overstay patterns, with Ghana overtaking Nigeria in misuse of B1/B2 (business and tourism) and F, M, and J (student and exchange visitor) non-immigrant visas. The report, covering October 2022 to September 2023, underscores rising visa compliance concerns for Ghanaian travellers.
In 2023, Ghanaians were issued 25,454 B1/B2 visas. Among these, 1,910 individuals overstayed their visas, representing a 7.50% overstay rate. For student and exchange visitor visas, Ghana recorded an even higher overstay rate of 21%, with 537 of 2,559 visa holders remaining unlawfully in the U.S. This marks a significant increase compared to Ghana’s pre-pandemic overstay rates in 2019, which were 5.09% for B1/B2 visas and 12.7% for student visas.
In comparison, Nigeria, which issued 84,051 B1/B2 visas in 2023, had a slightly lower overstay rate of 7.14% for business and tourist visas and a 15.60% overstay rate for student visas from 7,556 issued. These figures reflect improved compliance by Nigerian travellers since 2019, when the overstay rates stood at 9.88% and 13.43%, respectively.
Other notable overstay rates among African countries include:
• Togo: 19%
• Burkina Faso: 12.13%
• Ivory Coast: 7.48%
• Mali: 5.27%
Overstays are categorized as “in-country” (no recorded departure) or “out-of-country” (departure after the authorized period). While the report acknowledges that overstay data can involve extensions or status adjustments, it highlights the need for continued monitoring of visa compliance trends.
The findings reflect the U.S.’s enhanced data collection methods aimed at improving insights into global visa compliance. For Ghana, the data raises pressing questions about ensuring adherence to visa requirements and addressing the root causes of non-compliance among its citizens.