The United States government has warned Ugandans against the misuse of non-immigrant visas following a rise in cases of visa overstays, Daily Star has reliably learned.
The warning comes amid a growing number of Ugandans overstaying in the United States on tourist and medical visas, prompting the introduction of a new policy requiring visa bonds.
Under the policy, Ugandans along with nationals from 38 countries, mostly in Africa are required to post a refundable visa bond of up to USD 15,000 (Shs 53.4 million) before a non-immigrant visa is issued. The bond is intended to deter overstays and misuse of visas.
According to the policy, applicants who are otherwise eligible for non-immigrant visas will be required to pay the bond as a guarantee of compliance with U.S. immigration laws.
“We are still seeing Ugandans misusing their non-immigrant visas to the United States. If an individual uses a U.S. non-immigrant visa to travel to the United States and misuses their visa, they may be subject to removal and become ineligible for visas and future travel to the United States,” U.S. Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp said.
The ambassador explained that upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer determines the length of stay based on the type of non-immigrant visa issued.
“If you remain longer than authorized (overstay), you could be removed from the U.S. and may face a permanent ban on traveling to the United States in the future,” he warned.
The visa bond requirement is not retroactive and will be fully refunded to travelers who comply with the terms and conditions of their visa, admission at the port of entry, and bond requirements.
Ambassador Popp also cautioned that individuals who intentionally provide false or misleading information on visa applications or during interviews will be denied visas and may be permanently barred from entering the United States, in addition to facing possible criminal prosecution under Ugandan and U.S. law.
Under the new policy, U.S. business and tourist non-immigrant visas will be issued as single-entry visas with a three-month validity. This means travelers have three months from the date of issuance to travel to the United States and may apply for admission only once during the visa’s validity period.
