International
5 things to do after overstaying your US visa

5 things to do after overstaying your US visa
Migration to the US does not totally translate to a long-time staying immunity as it is usually dependent on the number of months or years that your visa carried upon its issuance to you.
Hence, many individuals do not take cognizance of their visas’ possible expiry dates. And when they eventually do be in the know that their visas have expired, they try to evade relevant authorities that come for them, who do not usually have a choice but to deport them to their actual countries.
However, it is advisable that you do not act like these individuals. There are certain steps you can take when your visa expires so as to avoid risk of deportation. Below are some of them:
What to do when you overstay your US visa
1. Beware of your overstay status
More often than not, overstaying in the United States does not totally result in a severe punishment. When your visa expires and you do not have the power to renew or something, be wary of how long you overstay.
For instance, if your overstaying is less than 180 days, you may escape severe punishments if you leave voluntarily. However, you might face riskier measures if you overstay for more than 180 days. These risks include slapping you with a three to six years re-entry ban.
READ ALSO:
- Army uncovers 11 illegal bunkering sites in four states
- Libya nabs three Nigerians over drug trafficking
- EFCC arrests 36 suspected internet fraudsters
2. Consult a legal immigration attorney
By seeking a legal counsel immediately, you can escape trouble in the US when you overstay your visit there. A legal counsel would look into your case, guide you to renewal requirements and eventually represent you in the court if need be.
3. Change your visit status
Another measure you can take when you overstay your visit in the United States is to renew your status of stay immediately. When you are given the opportunity to renew it, you can tender very reasonable reasons as to why you want to stay and renew such as furthering education, seeking medical treatments and others.
If possible, you can try change your status totally such that you would be enabled to stay there permanently.
4. Cooperate with relevant authorities
When you overstay your visit in the United States, and you are being contacted for questions or interrogations, do not hesitate to answer the calls. Try to let your legal counsel come in, apply for the cancellation of removal and stay calm.
5. Apply for protective measures
You can apply for protective stay measures such as applying for asylum because your stay in your home country might be risky for you probably because of war, racism and other issues bordering humanity. You can also explore Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which would make the American immigration authorities consider some reliefs for you.
5 things to do after overstaying your US visa
International
UK records over 22,000 asylum-seeking Nigerians

UK records over 22,000 asylum-seeking Nigerians
The United Kingdom Home Office received 22,619 asylum petitions from Nigerian nationals between 2010 and 2024.
Nigerians accounted for one in every 30 UK asylum claims over the time, ranking 11th in the Home Office’s recently released year-end asylum and resettlement figures.
According to the Home Office, over two times as many Nigerians (2,841) requested asylum in 2024 than in 2023 (1,462).
Overall, 108,138 people applied for asylum in the UK in 2024, representing a 378 per cent increase from 2010. The majority were first-time claims by South Asian and Middle Eastern nationals.
Iran topped the chart with 75,737, perhaps pushed by the rising persecution of dissidents by the Iranian regime.
Pakistan trailed far behind with 57,621. In 2024, 10,542 Pakistanis sought asylum in the UK, prompted by post-election upheaval, rising inflation, and an increase in blasphemy cases, which human rights groups argue provide strong grounds for protection claims.
Afghanistan has received 54,363 asylum petitions since 2010. In 2024, 8,508 Afghans sought sanctuary in the United Kingdom, a development that experts suggest is a continuation of the Taliban’s ouster of the Karzai administration in 2022.
That year, 11,358 Afghans applied for asylum in the United Kingdom, with 9,710 applications the following year.
Others include Albania (50,944), Iraq (45,711), Eritrea (37,687), Syria (34,997), and Bangladesh (31,744). Asylum seekers from Bangladesh increased from 5,097 in 2023 to 7,225 in 2024. The rise corresponded with the removal of previous Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
READ ALSO:
- Driver crushes one-year old boy to death in Ekiti
- Bring your children to compete with mine, MC Oluomo challenges those mocking his spoken English
- Insecurity: Presidency questions push for state police, accuses govs of not doing much
Sudan and India complete the top ten, with 30,897 and 30,179, respectively.
Nigeria’s 22,619 filings are just ahead of Sri Lanka’s 22,059 and surpass Vietnam, China, and Turkey. Brazil, Kuwait, Yemen, Colombia, and Jordan were at the bottom of the list, with each providing fewer than 6,500 claims.
Analysts attribute Nigeria’s rise on the list to tough conditions such as insecurity, bandit assaults, abduction, and a collapse in household purchasing power following the naira’s devaluation in 2023.
In a conversation with our correspondent, Charles Onunaiju, Research Director, Centre for China Studies, Abuja, stated, “We face a difficulty. Nigeria is becoming unfriendly, particularly for young people with limited opportunities, and there is a desperate desire to travel overseas.
According to local reports, young professionals who previously entered the UK on skilled worker visas are increasingly hedging their bets by applying for asylum once there; others arrive irregularly via continental Europe, citing kidnapping threats and communal attacks in their affidavits.
According to the reports, in most cases, petitioners also claim political persecution under Nigeria’s wide cybercrime legislation or discrimination based on sexual orientation—both of which are protected under the Refugee Convention.
According to the Home Office’s website, an asylum seeker must demonstrate a “well-founded fear of persecution” because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a certain social group.
The Home Office determines the initial decisions, and negative rulings can be challenged in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
In theory, the Illegal Migration Act of 2023 makes people who travel through a safe third nation inadmissible.
However, the UK government’s proposed removal process, particularly its contract with former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to transfer claimants to Rwanda, is still enmeshed in legal obstacles.
As a result, the majority of 2024 and 2025 arrivals will continue to use the existing system.
Dr Aliyu Ilias, an Abuja-based development economist, told The PUNCH that as more Nigerians leave and stay permanently overseas, the country will have less trained labour.
He stated that with most Nigerians confronting both economic headwinds and deteriorating security at home, the British asylum route, however uncertain, still appears to offer a better prospect.
Ilias explained, “It’s definitely a cause of concern because this includes our professionals who are moving, and it takes a whole lot to train these professionals.
“In the medical sector, Nigeria subsidises a lot to get people trained. You cannot get trained as a medical doctor or an engineer abroad for a cheaper cost compared to what we get in Nigeria.
“So, it is total brain drain in the long run, and for the economy, it is reducing our GDP. The appalling part is that most of our Nigerian brothers and sisters who go out do not return. They get permanent residency, and they become valuable to the immediate country.”
UK records over 22,000 asylum-seeking Nigerians
International
Harvard University sues Trump over funding cuts

Harvard University sues Trump over funding cuts
Harvard sued US President Donald Trump’s administration Monday in a sharp escalation of the fight between the prestigious university and the Republican, who has threatened its funding and sought to impose outside political supervision.
Trump has sought to bring several prestigious universities to heel over claims they tolerated campus anti-Semitism, threatening their budgets, tax-exempt status and the enrolment of foreign students, but Harvard has refused to bow.
“This case involves the Government’s efforts to use the withholding of federal funding as leverage to gain control of academic decision making at Harvard,” the Ivy League university said in a lawsuit filed in a Massachusetts federal court that named several other institutions targeted by Trump.
“The Government’s actions flout not just the First Amendment, but also federal laws and regulations,” said the complaint, which called Trump’s actions “arbitrary and capricious.”
Trump is furious at Harvard for rejecting government supervision of its admissions, hiring practices and political slant and last week ordered the freezing of $2.2 billion in federal funding to the storied institution.
The lawsuit calls for the freezing of funds and conditions imposed on federal grants to be declared unlawful, as well as for the Trump administration to pay Harvard’s costs.
Trump and his White House team have publicly justified their campaign against universities as a reaction to what they say is uncontrolled “anti-Semitism” and a need to reverse diversity programs aimed at addressing historical oppression of minorities.
READ ALSO:
- NNPCL: Ojulari’s ambitious five-year $60bn investment agenda
- Osimhen to rake in N136bn from Man United
- U20 AFCON: Flying Eagles tackle Young Pharaohs in friendly
The administration claims protests against Israel’s war in Gaza that swept across US college campuses last year were rife with anti-Semitism.
Many US universities, including Harvard, cracked down on the protests over the allegations at the time, with the Cambridge-based institution placing 23 students on probation and denying degrees to 12 others, according to protest organizers.
“Harvard can no longer be considered even a decent place of learning, and should not be considered on any list of the World’s Great Universities or Colleges,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform last week.
“Harvard is a JOKE, teaches Hate and Stupidity, and should no longer receive Federal Funds.”
International
China warns countries against trade dealings with US

China warns countries against trade dealings with US
China on Monday issued a stern warning to countries considering new economic agreements with the United States, cautioning against doing so at Beijing’s expense as tensions deepen in the ongoing Sino-U.S. trade war.
In a statement, China’s Commerce Ministry accused the United States of weaponizing tariffs and undermining fair trade practices.
“Beijing will firmly oppose any party striking a deal at China’s expense and will take countermeasures in a resolute and reciprocal manner,” the ministry said.
The warning follows a Bloomberg report suggesting that the Trump administration is preparing to pressure countries seeking tariff reductions or exemptions from the U.S. to curb trade with China. The reported strategy may include monetary penalties for nations that fail to comply.
On April 2, President Donald Trump announced sweeping new tariffs targeting dozens of countries. While some nations were granted a pause, China faced the harshest measures, with tariff rates on its exports rising to 145%. In response, Beijing imposed retaliatory tariffs of 125% on U.S. goods, though it signaled last week it would not raise them further for now.
“The United States has abused tariffs on all trading partners under the banner of so-called ‘equivalence’, while also forcing all parties to start so-called ‘reciprocal tariffs’ negotiations with them,” a ministry spokesperson said.
Despite the rising tensions, China’s Commerce Ministry stressed that it remains committed to defending its economic interests. “China is determined and capable of safeguarding its own rights and interests, and is willing to strengthen solidarity with all parties,” it stated.
READ ALSO:
- Breaking: Pope Francis dies at 88 – Vatican
- Nigerian banks generated N14tn from loans – Report
- How Nigerian hotelier died during wife’s 60th birthday celebration
Commenting on the geopolitical tug-of-war, Bo Zhengyuan, a partner at China-based consultancy Plenum, said: “The fact is, nobody wants to pick a side. If countries have high reliance on China in terms of investment, industrial infrastructure, technology know-how and consumption, I don’t think they’ll be buying into U.S. demands. Many Southeast Asian countries belong to this category.”
Beijing plans to convene an informal United Nations Security Council meeting this week to spotlight what it calls Washington’s “bullying” and to accuse the U.S. of casting “a shadow over the global efforts for peace and development” by turning tariffs into a tool of coercion.
Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer recently disclosed that nearly 50 countries have approached Washington to discuss the impact of the new tariffs. Several bilateral negotiations are underway. Japan is reportedly considering increasing soybean and rice imports from the U.S., while Indonesia may scale up its purchases of American food and commodities while reducing orders from other countries.
Trump’s hardline tariff stance has caused jitters across global markets, raising concerns about a potential slowdown in international trade. Despite the rhetoric, Chinese stocks posted marginal gains on Monday, though investor sentiment remains cautious.
In a broader move to challenge China’s technological and industrial ascent, the U.S. has also imposed port fees on China-built vessels and tightened export curbs on AI chips. Nvidia recently revealed it would incur a $5.5 billion loss due to the administration’s restrictions on chip exports.
In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping embarked on a diplomatic tour across Southeast Asia last week to rally support for open trade. He emphasized unity and resistance to unilateralism, urging partners to reject coercive trade tactics.
“We are tearing down walls and expanding our circle of trading partners,” Xi declared, emphasizing China’s resolve to deepen regional ties.
Southeast Asian nations face a particularly delicate balancing act. ASEAN remains China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting $234 billion in Q1 2025—16% of China’s total foreign trade. Meanwhile, ASEAN’s trade with the U.S. was worth approximately $476.8 billion in 2024, making Washington its fourth-largest trade partner.
“There are no winners in trade wars and tariff wars,” Xi wrote in an article published in Vietnamese media, carefully avoiding direct mention of the United States.
China warns countries against trade dealings with US
-
International2 days ago
Breaking: Pope Francis dies at 88 – Vatican
-
metro1 day ago
Bring your children to compete with mine, MC Oluomo challenges those mocking his spoken English
-
metro2 days ago
How Nigerian hotelier died during wife’s 60th birthday celebration
-
metro23 hours ago
Rivers: Tinubu meets with Fubara, may lift his suspension
-
News2 days ago
Tinubu returns to Nigeria after France, UK trip
-
metro2 days ago
Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria elects new leaders, Tinubu praises educational contributions
-
Business1 day ago
Marketers count losses as NNPC slashes petrol price
-
metro2 days ago
Reno Omokri defends Tinubu’s appointments, blasts president’s critics