President Donald Trump's administration has warned Kenyans travelling to the United States against overstaying in the country, terming it a violation of the immigration laws, which could affect future visa eligibility.
In a statement on Saturday, August 16, the United States Embassy in Nairobi clarified that owning a visa was not a guarantee of your stay in the US.
According to the embassy, having a US visa only allows an individual to travel to America through the airport or seaport, adding that the visa expiration date is not the period of stay in the US.
The US government further noted that once an individual arrives in the US, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conduct inspections and decide how long one stays in America.
"A US visa allows you to travel to a US port of entry and request permission to enter. How long you are allowed to stay in the United States is not your visa's expiration date," the US government announced.
"The CBP officer determines your 'Admit Until Date' upon your arrival, and you can check the date by which you must depart online at i94.cbp.dhs.gov," it added.
The statement by the US embassy in Nairobi follows a call for clarification on the difference between the visa validity and the period of stay in the United States.
The latest announcement comes a fortnight after the US government announced changes in the visa application process. In the new changes, all Kenyans applying for a visa will be required to list all their social media handles.
In a notice issued on Friday, July 25, the US Embassy in Nairobi stated that visa applicants must list all social media usernames or handles for every platform they have used in the past five years.
While warning against such omissions, the Embassy noted that failure to provide correct information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future US visa applications.
"Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles for every platform they have used in the past five years on the DS-160 visa application form," the US Embassy stated.
According to the US government, all applicants must also be able to prove that the information provided in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit.
