By Erasmus Williams:
Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 14, 2018 – About 260 Kittitians and Nevisians who entered the United States in 2017 have overstayed the United States Department of Homeland Security is reporting. 280 overstayed in 2016 and 254 in 2015
According to a perusal of the tables, in 2017, there were some 12,143 expected St. Kitts and Nevis Departures, 17 out of Country Overstays, 247 Suspected In-Country Overstays for a total of 264 – a rate of 2.1 percent Overstay Rate and 2.03 percent Suspected In-Country Overstays.
For the 2017 Overstay rates for non-immigrant students and exchange visitors (F, M, J) admitted to the United States from St. Kitts and Nevis, there were 395 Expected Departures, 2 Out of Country Overstays , 8 Suspected In-Country Overstays for a total of 10 Total Overstays.
In 2016, there were some 12,115 St. Kitts and Nevis expected Departures, 18 out of Country Overstays, 262 Suspected In-Country Overstays for a total of 280 Overstays.
For 2016, Overstay rates for non-immigrant students and exchange visitors (F, M, J) admitted to the United States from St. Kitts and Nevis, there were 225 Expected Departures, 9 Out of Country Overstays, 10 Suspected In-Country Overstays for a total of 15 Total Overstays.
In 2015, there were some 11,387 expected St. Kitts and Nevis Departures, 17 out of Country Overstays, 237 Suspected In-Country Overstays for a total of 254 Overstays.
There are no statistics for students for the year 2015
Some 45,303 Caribbean nationals entered the U.S. on a business or visitor’s B1/B2 visa in fiscal year 2017 but never left.
According to DHS, identifying aliens who overstay their authorized periods of stay is important for national security, public safety, immigration enforcement, and processing applications for immigration benefits.
DHS has determined that there were 52,656,022 in-scope non-immigrant admissions to the United States through air or sea POEs with expected departures occurring in FY 2017; the in-scope admissions represent the vast majority of all air and sea non-immigrant admissions. Of this number, DHS calculated a total overstay rate of 1.33 percent, or 701,900 overstay events.
The report also breaks down the overstay rates further to provide a better picture of those overstays who remain in the United States beyond their period of admission and for whom there is no identifiable evidence of a departure, an extension of period of admission, or transition to another immigration status. At the end of FY 2017, there were 606,926 Suspected In-Country Overstays. The overall Suspected In-Country Overstay rate was 1.15 percent of the expected departures.
Over the years, DHS significantly improved data collection processes in the entry environment. These improvements include the collection of data on all admissions to the US by foreign nationals.