By Arret Jatta
Foreign Affairs Minister Sering Modou Njie has addressed the recent issue of the US visa restrictions on Gambians travelling to America during the government press conference, yesterday.
The restrictions primarily affect business visas (B1), tourist visas (B2), and student visas (F1), particularly for individuals who have completed their authorised stay in the US.
“This is about the United States policy,” the minister said, emphasising that the policy impacts multiple countries, including The Gambia.
Minister Njie furher explained that the US has identified a significant number of Gambians who have overstayed their visas. The restrictions are a consequence of this, aimed at encouraging the return of these individuals.
“It has already been published that there are a good number of Gambians who have exhausted their stay, we call them “over stay” and they have not returned and then the restriction applies to those category of people and countries that if they do not see to the return of their citizens then the US will have to place certain restrictions and that applies to the visa bond of $15,000 but once you return, the $15,000 is refundable,” he explained.
Minister Njie added that government has been making diplomatic efforts to see how they can get rid of the travel ban.
“When we received the instructions from the US, what we did as a ministry and as a country is to engage the US through their embassy here and opened up dialogue,” Minister Njie explained.
He added that The Gambian mission in Washington is also actively engaging with the State Department.
The focus, according to the minister, is on continuous dialogue and diplomacy with the US.
“All we can do as a country is just to continue our dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
