When an individual who has entered the United States on a temporary visa fails to leave the country by the expiration date of the visa or renew it prior to its expiration this is known as a “visa overstay.” This is a serious situation, often requiring the services of an immigration attorney in Chicago, as there is a potential of legal consequences. Of course there are visa overstays that is purely accidental, however, there are also situations where the individual purposefully overstays in the country.
There are legal penalties for overstaying:
There are unpleasant consequences when an individual has overstayed:
* Loss of current immigration status and all accompanying privileges
* Lost the chance of filing for permanent resident
* Detrimental to ones chance of becoming a US citizen
* Deportation may occur if the case involves criminal charges
If one does overstay the chances of being granted the right to enter the US again in the future may be jeopardized.
Avoiding visa overstay:
Every visa issued to a non-resident is stamped with the date when the visitor must leave; overstaying is something that can easily be avoided with planning and foresight. It is in the best interest of the visitor to carefully check the date stamped in his or her passport, always plan your time ahead and maintain an awareness of immigration laws that might affect you as they do change quite often.
You may need the help of an attorney:
Overstaying a US visa is serious and can quickly become quite complicated. There are many times when it will be necessary to hire an immigration attorney in Chicago to deal with the specifics. Your attorney can advise you on what has to be done and if the case goes to court he or she will represent your interests during the proceedings in immigration court.
If you have overstayed your visa there can be serious consequences and you should consider hiring a skilled immigration attorney in Chicago to assist you. You are invited to contact Din Law for further information and help.
