The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a nationwide enforcement exercise targeting foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas or violated entry conditions, following the expiration of the government’s visa amnesty programme.
The amnesty period, introduced earlier this year under the Expired Visa Initiative, allowed foreigners with irregular immigration status to either regularize their stay or depart the country without penalty.
The window, which was extended until September 30, 2025, officially closed at midnight yesterday.
With the extension over, the NIS announced that effective October 1, 2025, it will begin strict enforcement against violators across all states of the federation.
“Any foreign national found to have overstayed their visa or breached entry conditions will face fines, deportation, or possible entry bans, depending on the severity of the violation,” NIS spokesperson ACI Kinsola Akinlabi said.
The crackdown affects foreign nationals with:
Expired Visa on Arrival (VoA)
Expired single or multiple-entry short stay and business visas
Expired residence permits, including the CERPAC card, that have lapsed beyond the grace period.
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According to the NIS, penalties vary by length of overstay:
Less than three months: daily fines or a two-year entry ban
Three months to one year: fines or up to a five-year entry ban
Over one year: deportation with a ten-year ban or permanent restriction.
Officials say the enforcement is aimed at strengthening border security, ensuring compliance with immigration laws, and preventing abuses of Nigeria’s visa system.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap, is overseeing the exercise and has directed all zonal, state, and border commands to ensure full compliance.
The NIS has therefore urged all foreigners currently in Nigeria to verify their immigration status and take steps to renew or regularize their documentation through official channels to avoid sanctions.
