If your visa expires abroad before you can reapply for a new one, it is called overstaying, and it means you need to act urgently. There are different things that you can do, depending on the country, how long you have overstayed, and whether you want to still remain in the country or return home.
In this piece, I will share with you what you can do as soon as you can so as to avoid fines, deportation, or even travel bans which may affect you if you are seeking to travel to a different country.
Situations That Can Warrant Your Visa To Expire Abroad
There are certain instances that can get you to overstay in another country. One may be after you have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme if you are in the UK. This will allow you to stay longer in the UK until you get a decision.
Another reason could be that you have applied for a new visa before the old one expires. In this situation, you can be allowed to stay and not be considered an overstayer. However, to avoid any complications, it is best to start applying for a new visa a long time before your visa expires.
Ill health and being admitted in a hospital may also be another reason why you may miss your visa deadline. If you are able to prove that this is the reason why you were unable to apply for a visa renewal, you will be given grace to apply, which will depend on the country.
Things To Do If Your Visa Expires Abroad
1. Genuinely Assess Your Situation
The first thing you should do is to take the time to fully assess your situation and what it could mean. Find out when your visa expired and how much time you have left if there is a grace period.
2. Check to see what options you have
Of course, there could be options available to you but the only way you might get to know is to visit the immigration portal of the country. Apart from the grace period that may be available to you, you could also have the option of late renewal for some countries or even provisions for you to extend your stay.
3. Contact local immigration authorities
Having understood what options you have and how much time you have spent, the next thing you should do is to contact the local immigration authorities or visit the nearest immigration office. Explain your situation to them and ask if you can take advantage of one of the options available to you.
4. Prepare to and Leave the Country
If you are required to leave the country, prepare and leave as soon as you can so as not to get into any more trouble with the law which may affect your travel records. While you so, you may avoid any more internal traveling so as not to be detained or flagged at checkpoints. Also avoid engaging in any form of paid work after your visa has expired.
5. Keep all documents
Finally, whether you are leaving the country or you are able to get a visa extension, what you should do is keep all the documents involved including your visa, official letters, and any fine receipts. You may find them useful in the future when you want to apply for visas or when you need to prove your case.
Consequences of Overstaying abroad
If your visa expires abroad and you fail to leave voluntarily within the stipulated time, which is 14 to 30 days for most countries, and you do not have a good and genuine reason for that there could be several consequences.
One of the things that could happen if you fail to leave after your visa has expired and your grace period has elapsed is that you could be arrested and most likely deported.
Whether you are deported or you leave on your own after staying longer than legally allowed, you could be banned from re-entering the country for between 1 to 10 years depending on whether you left on your own or you were deported and when you left.
Actions that will be taken against you will depend on the country, however, it could affect you later when you apply for other kind of visas to other countries.
