The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has commenced enforcement action against foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas or violated entry conditions.
This follows the expiration of the Federal Government’s Expired Visa Initiative (Amnesty) program, which ended at midnight on September 30, 2025.
The program allowed foreigners with expired immigration status to regularize their stay in Nigeria without penalties.
The agency stated this in a public notice signed by ACI Kinsola Akinlabi, Service Public Relations Officer, NIS Headquarters, Abuja.
“With the expiration of the Amnesty period, effective 1st October 2025, enforcement actions will commence nationwide against foreign nationals who have overstayed their visa or violated their entry conditions,” they said
Backstory
The idea for a visa-amnesty program in Nigeria took shape in early 2025, as part of a broader overhaul of the country’s immigration system. The government was rolling out a new visa regime, which included introducing an e-Visa platform, replacing Visa on Arrival, and automating landing and exit cards.
Against this backdrop, on July 5, 2025, the NIS formally announced its Expired Visa Initiative, also called the Amnesty. The announcement confirmed that the Amnesty window would commence May 1, 2025 and run through September 30, 2025.
Under the original plan, the Amnesty was framed as a three-month grace period from May 1 to August 1, 2025, during which foreign nationals with expired immigration status could take steps to regularize their stay, leave the country, or update their documents without penalties.
However, before the August 1 deadline, NIS issued a circular extending the grace period. That extension pushed the end date from August 1 to September 30, 2025, giving affected individuals additional time to regularize their status within the country.
Categories of affected foreigners
According to the NIS, the enforcement exercise will target the following categories of foreigners:
- Holders of expired Visa on Arrival (VoA).
- Holders of expired Single and Multiple-Entry Short Visit or Business Visas.
- Individuals with expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permit and Automated Card (CERPAC).
Overstay penalties and entry bans
The notice also detailed penalties for foreigners who have overstayed their visas or failed to regularize their immigration status.
- Less than 3 months overstay: Removal, $15 per day fine, or 2-year entry ban.
- 3 months to 1 year overstay: Removal, $15 per day fine, or 5-year entry ban.
- 1 year and above: Removal, 10-year entry ban or permanent ban.
- Foreign nationals in violation of Nigeria’s immigration laws will also face sanctions, including payment of overstay penalties, removal, and possible restriction from future entry into the country.
The agency stressed that the move was necessary to safeguard national security and maintain order in the country’s immigration system.
