Latest news with #Equatoguinean
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
70 percent of students from Equatorial Guinea have overstayed visas in US: Ambassador
The majority of international students from Equatorial Guinea have overstayed their visas in the United States, according to David Gilmour, the U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. 'Unfortunately, many Equatoguineans travel to the United States to study and for tourism and they remain in the country beyond the validity of their visa. Seventy percent of Equatoguinean students have overstayed their visas. Some 22 percent of tourists and business travelers have not respected the limit of their permission to stay,' Gilmour said in a Thursday morning statement on the social media platform X. 'Those Equatoguineans who have not respected U.S. immigration law are causing a problem that has restricted the travel of their fellow citizens,' Gilmour said, adding that if 'you know someone who is presently in the United States without a valid visa, tell them to return to Equatorial Guinea immediately.' Gilmour's statement came less than 24 hours after President Trump signed a proclamation that fully bans nationals of a dozen countries from entering the U.S., including Equatorial Guinea. The other countries included in the Wednesday order are Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The order also partially restricts entry for nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Trump penned an executive order on his first day in the Oval Office in January that advocated for bolstered screening and vetting of migrants who are coming into the U.S., pointing to national security concerns. The president has also forcefully cracked down on illegal immigration since taking office and curbed the flow of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump's Wednesday proclamation included exceptions for nationals mentioned on the list who are lawful permanent residents of the U.S., current visa holders and people 'whose entry serves U.S. national interests.' Gilmour referenced those exceptions Thursday morning. 'The order does not affect Equatorial Guinea government officials traveling to the United States on government business, or lawful permanent residents of the United States,' the ambassador said. He added that the U.S., 'like Equatorial Guinea and other countries, takes decisive measures to protects its borders and to prevent the illegal presence of foreigners on its territory.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
70 percent of students from Equatorial Guinea have overstayed visas in US: Ambassador
The majority of international students from Equatorial Guinea have overstayed their visas in the United States, according to David Gilmour, the U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. 'Unfortunately, many Equatoguineans travel to the United States to study and for tourism and they remain in the country beyond the validity of their visa. Seventy percent of Equatoguinean students have overstayed their visas. Some 22 percent of tourists and business travelers have not respected the limit of their permission to stay,' U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea David Gilmour said in a Thursday morning statement on the social media platform X. Those Equatoguineans who have not respected U.S. immigration law are causing a problem that has restricted the travel of their fellow citizens,' Gilmour said, adding that if 'you know someone who is presently in the United States without a valid visa, tell them to return to Equatorial Guinea immediately.' Gilmour's statement came less than 24 hours after President Trump signed a proclamation that fully bans nationals of a dozen countries from entering the U.S., including Equatorial Guinea. The other countries included in the Wednesday order are Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. The order also partially restricts entry for nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Trump penned an executive order on his first day in the Oval Office in January that advocated for bolstered screening and vetting of migrants who are coming into the U.S., pointing to national security concerns. The president has also forcefully cracked down on illegal immigration since taking office and curbed the flow of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump's Wednesday proclamation included exceptions for nationals mentioned on the list who are lawful permanent residents of the U.S., current visa holders and people 'whose entry serves U.S. national interests.' Gilmour echoed about those exceptions Thursday morning. 'The order does not affect Equatorial Guinea government officials traveling to the United States on government business, or lawful permanent residents of the United States,' the ambassador said. He added that the U.S., 'like Equatorial Guinea and other countries, takes decisive measures to protects its borders and to prevent the illegal presence of foreigners on its territory.'
BBC News
07-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Ineligible' Equatorial Guinea skipper cleared to play by Fifa
Equatorial Guinea's record goalscorer Emilio Nsue has been officially cleared to play for the country by Fifa – more than a decade after the former Spain youth international made his senior debut for the African was widespread surprise in May last year when football's world governing body handed Nsue, now 35, a six-month ban, deeming him ineligible to play in 2026 World Cup the time, Fifa said it was "comfortably satisfied" that Nsue, who won the golden boot at last year's Africa Cup of Nations, had never received clearance to formalise his switch from that changed on Wednesday when Fifa approved a second request by Equatorial Guinea's football federation (Feguifut) - twelve years after its first attempt."Fifa's decision has been very positive for us and for all the people of Equatorial Guinea," Feguifut president Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha told BBC Sport Africa."After so many years, and months, we were able to show that Emilio was eligible and finally Fifa showed justice in this case."Fifa's shock ruling last year came 43 games after Nsue's 2013 debut for Equatorial Guinea, a side he has often captained and for whom he has scored a record 22 he struck twice in World Cup qualifying wins against Namibia and Liberia in late 2023, Fifa ruled that both games would be forfeited was also fined 150,000 Swiss francs ($164,000, £129,000) for fielding the player, who had previously taken part in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualifying campaigns without second - and ultimately successful - bid to change Nsue's allegiance was launched shortly after his six-month ban ended, while a Feguifut appeal last year resulted in the fine being reduced to 50,000 Swiss francs, with the remaining 100,000 suspended for two years. What led to Fifa's decision? Fifa's ruling in May 2024 stunned both Nsue and Feguifut president Ndong Micha, given neither thought his eligibility was an transpired, however, that a previous Feguifut regime had failed to file the correct paperwork and follow procedure in played nearly 50 times for Spain's youth teams, it was in February of that year that the Equatoguinean federation first wrote to Fifa requesting the change of allegiance before – despite receiving no approval – then fielding the forward in two games over four response, Fifa sanctioned Equatorial Guinea, awarding technical 3-0 wins to their opponents, stating that Nsue was ineligible as he did not have Equatoguinean nationality when first representing Spain in 2005 (a requirement at the time).Four months later, however, Nsue was back on the field for Equatorial Guinea – for a friendly against Spain, ironically – and he continued to play, including at three Nations Cups, until Fifa took its belated to the BBC in July 2024, Ndong Micha claimed that Fifa had not taken into account his country's constitution, which states that anyone born to a mother or father from the country is automatically an Equatoguinean upon birth.A statement to this extent by Equatorial Guinea's minister for justice, culture and human rights was crucial in enabling Fifa's recent fact that Nsue could show an old Equatoguinean passport from 2004, a document which preceded his first Spain youth appearance, also helped win the case."Thanks to our lawyer Paolo (Torchetti), who has been key, we have been able to show all necessary documentation relating to Emilio's eligibility," added Ndong Micha, calling Fifa's decision 'vital'. 2026 World Cup hopes The Central African nation now hopes its lost points can be returned as the nation of two million looks to qualify for its maiden World deduction took Equatorial Guinea, once second in Group H with nine points from four games, to second bottom in a group topped by is now set to feature in this month's World Cup qualifiers at home to Sao Tome and Principe and away against Namibia."Now that Emilio has been deemed eligible to play for Equatorial Guinea, I think the World Cup points should be coming back to us in the future," said Ndong Micha."We want the six points as this will give us renewed hope as we fight to qualify."Liberia and Malawi are the other nations in the six-team the winners will qualify automatically for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA, while the four best-placed runners-up will have a second chance via the play-offs.
