# 119-s-1937: Visa Overstay Penalties Act of 2025

119-s-1937, Visa Overstay Penalties Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN); status introduced (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1937
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-1937
- Congress: 119
- Title: Visa Overstay Penalties Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-06-03
- Sponsor: Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Immigration
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-11

## Summary

**Expands penalties for visa overstays.** The bill would create a new "Visa Overstays" rule that makes failing to maintain authorized nonimmigrant status a violation and adds higher civil and criminal penalties for those who overstay or break status conditions. - Nonimmigrant visa holders who fail to maintain status for an aggregate of 10 days or more would be in violation and face civil fines of $500 to $1,000 per violation. - Aliens with prior immigration convictions or earlier civil penalties could face enhanced enforcement and harsher penalties, including doubled civil fines for repeat violations. - Federal prosecutors and courts would have new criminal penalties to apply for overstays, including fines under federal criminal law and imprisonment up to 6 months for a first offense and up to 2 years for later offenses.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Higher fines and jail for visa overstays: cost, low. If enacted, this bill would make an "overstay" occur when a nonimmigrant is out of status for an aggregate of 10 days or more. You would face a civil fine of $500 to $1,000 for each overstay violation. If you were previously fined under this rule, the fine for later violations would be doubled. Civ…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2142: GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025
- 119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-535: Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act
- 119-s-4983: Harry Reid Immigration Stabilization Act

## Sources
- [119-s-1937 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1937)

## Related
- [119-s-2142: GOLDEN DOME Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2142)
- [119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4952)
- [119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4378)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-535: Respect Parents’ Childcare Choices Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-535)
- [119-s-4983: Harry Reid Immigration Stabilization Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4983)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1937 (as of 2026-08-11).