The Gambian Embassy in Washington yesterday issued an advisory statement to Gambian residents in the United States of America and those intending to visit the country to strictly adhere to the new immigration policies of the United States.
The statement explained that according to the United States Embassy in Banjul, “citizens already issued with the US visa should note that the visa only allow them to travel to a United States port of entry and request permission to enter the country. In other words, merely having a visa does no guarantee entry.
The Gambia Embassy further informed Gambians that the decision to “stay in the United States is not dependent on one’s visa expiration date. Rather, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer in the US determines your ‘Admit Until Date’ upon your arrival, and one must check the date by which you must depart online at i94.cbp.dhs.gov.”
In addition, the Embassy advised that all travellers to the United States undergo extensive security screening including checks against law enforcement and counter-terrorism databases.
“In light of this consideration, visas are not issued until all security concerns are fully resolved, as prohibiting travel to those who might pose a threat is key to protecting the United States citizens at home.”
Students
In the same vein, all Gambian students studying in the United States are advised to note that “if they drop out, skip classes, or leave their programmes of study without informing the school, their visas may be revoked, and they may lose eligibility for future United States visas.
The Embassy therefore advised Gambians travelling to the US for the purpose of studies to always adhere to the terms of their visas and maintain student status to avoid any issues with the US immigration laws that may interrupt their studies.
