The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the commencement of nationwide enforcement against foreigners who have overstayed their visas or violated immigration laws, following the expiration of the Federal Government’s visa amnesty initiative.
The amnesty programme, introduced on July 5, 2025, granted a window of opportunity for foreign nationals with expired visas or residence permits to regularize their stay in Nigeria without facing penalties.
That grace period officially closed at midnight on September 30, 2025.
Effective from October 1, the NIS said its officers will begin enforcement operations targeting categories of foreigners including holders of expired Visa on Arrival (VoA), expired single and multiple-entry short visit or business visas, as well as individuals with expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permits and Automated Cards (CERPAC).
Foreign nationals found in breach of Nigeria’s immigration laws will face stiff sanctions, the NIS warned.
“These include mandatory payment of overstay penalties, removal from the country, and in some cases, restrictions on future entry into Nigeria”, it added.
The Service outlined penalties as follows: foreigners overstaying less than three months will pay $15 per day for each day overstayed and may face either removal or a two-year entry ban.
“Those who overstay between three months and one year face the same daily fine but risk a five-year entry ban.
“For overstays beyond one year, violators face removal and a minimum 10-year or permanent entry ban”, the Service stated.
A statement signed by Akinsola Akinlabi, Public Relations Officer of the NIS, stressed that the Service remains committed to lawful migration management.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service is determined to safeguard national security, while ensuring transparency and efficiency in all immigration processes,” it noted.
The Service called on all foreign nationals resident in Nigeria to comply with immigration rules and warned that enforcement will be comprehensive and uncompromising across the country.
