What happens if I overstay in the US?

For those seeking a non-immigrant visa from Colombia to the US for tourism, business, medical treatment, etc., the duration of the document may be a maximum of 10 years. However, this does not mean that the person can stay for many years, but can enter the country once every 10 years or more. All visa-free aliens entering the United States will be interviewed by a Customs and Border Protection officer. It is the person who decides how long to stay, and staying one more day can mean various obstacles.

As the State Department explains on its page, it’s important to recognize the difference between a visa and limited stay: “A visa means that your application has been reviewed by a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate and the officer has determined that you are eligible to travel to a United States port. Entry for a specific purpose. The port of entry may be an airport, seaport or land border crossing.

Also, it is important for people traveling to the US to remember that visas are not always issued with the same number of entries. Some offer a single entry, others have more entries -two or three- and sometimes the visa has the letter M, which means multiple entries.

What is the procedure for entering the country?

• According to Mexican portal viveUSA, All people coming to the United States by air must go through an interview with a Customs and Border Protection officer, CBP, in Spanish. This interview determines how long a person is authorized to stay in the country. Mostly, the accommodation granted by the officer is for 180 days i.e. 6 months. The officer will stamp the date on the passport.

What happens to those who overstay?

Anyone considering staying in the U.S. should take into account that they are violating immigration laws, and the U.S. State Department is clear in stating that: “Remaining beyond the period authorized by the Department of Homeland Security and without status in the United States is a violation of U.S. immigration laws and may make you ineligible for a future return visa. ” .

According to the Department of State, the following are the consequences a person may face for staying in the country longer than permitted:

• The visa may be revoked or revoked immediately.
• The person may lose their status as a tourist, for example, be deported.
• The person may become ineligible for a visa to travel to the United States in the future; In fact, this is one of the most difficult reasons for visa seekers and those who present the ban.
• If a person overstays his/her time limit and tries to re-enter the country, the customs officer will deny him/her entry for violating the law.