Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene has urged Antiguans and Barbudans to take seriously a recent diplomatic notice from the United States government warning foreign nationals not to overstay their visas.

Speaking on WTP Radio Monday night, Greene said the new guidance, “when twinned with the one we published over the weekend about general immigration matters, represents a very challenging position” for Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Caribbean.

The U.S. government has warned that foreign nationals who remain in the country beyond the time granted by immigration officials risk arrest, heavy fines, incarceration, deportation, and permanent bans on re-entry. Greene noted that “a visa is not a right—it’s a privilege,” and stressed that visitors must comply with the immigration laws of the countries they enter.

According to the U.S. statement, individuals unlawfully present may be eligible for financial assistance to voluntarily leave the country, but those who choose to remain in violation of immigration rules may face serious consequences.

Greene said, “Why risk a permanent ban to a country you’d like to visit when all you need to do is respect the law?” He emphasized that the United States has made it clear there is no automatic right to remain, and that immigration officers have the authority to determine the length of stay granted to each traveler.

He added that the U.S. is placing responsibility on governments like Antigua and Barbuda to ensure their nationals are properly informed. “We’ve done our part by sharing not just a summary, but the actual release from the U.S. government,” Greene said, adding that some citizens had wrongly politicized the warning.

The minister encouraged nationals in the U.S. who may be out of status to seek legal advice and explore options to regularize their situation, noting that “there is no amnesty announcement—this is enforcement of the law.”

While affirming the government’s continued commitment to protecting its citizens, Greene cautioned that “once you break the laws of another country, there’s nothing the government can do.” He said individuals must take responsibility to avoid being fined, deported, or jailed under U.S. immigration policy.