Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by U.S. Immigration Law Counsel. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
With immigration remaining a hot-button issue, visa overstays are once again in the spotlight. Whether it's a tourist who never left or a student struggling to pay tuition, the reasons people stay in the U.S. after their visa expires are complex and deeply personal. Immigration attorney Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez from U.S. Immigration Law Counsel joined Inside South Florida to break down some of the most common reasons why individuals remain in the country past their visa's expiration.
“An overstay on a student visa, for example, if they come, they have to pay out of pocket, pay international tuition, and they're not allowed to work,” Movassaghi explained. “Sometimes, something happens back home, and they lose the money or ability to keep up with tuition. Then they find themselves in a really desperate situation. They’ve invested everything in the U.S., so they end up staying here unlawfully, even though they originally came legally to pursue a profession.”
For tourists, the stories are equally human: some become unexpected caretakers for relatives, others stay in hopes of adjusting their status through family petitions, which can take over a decade. And in some cases, people fall in love and decide to remain, hoping a marriage will eventually legitimize their stay, only for the relationship to fall apart.
Unfortunately, overstaying a visa can have serious legal consequences. “If you’ve overstayed more than 180 days but less than a year, you face a three-year ban from reentering the U.S. If you overstay for more than one year and then leave, you’re barred from returning for 10 years,” said Movassaghi.
So what should someone do if their visa is about to expire?
“They need to contact an experienced immigration attorney to have a thorough conversation, someone who can review their full background, personal and immigration history, and help identify a possible solution or, at the very least, provide accurate information and guidance so they can make the best decision for themselves,” she emphasized.
For more information or to get legal advice, you can reach Movassaghi’s team at www.us-ilc.com, on Instagram @immigration_attorney_sam, or by phone at (954) 589-1180. Her office is open seven days a week.
