Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a nationwide enforcement operation targeting foreigners who overstayed their visas or violated immigration rules, following the expiration of the Federal Government’s visa-amnesty window at midnight on September 30, 2025.
The amnesty, introduced on July 5, allowed non-citizens with expired documents to regularize their status without penalties.
In a statement issued late Tuesday, NIS spokesperson ACI Akinsola Akinlabi confirmed that enforcement began on October 1, focusing on individuals with expired Visa on Arrival, short-visit and business visas, and Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permits and Automated Cards (CERPAC).
Offenders now face removal from Nigeria, monetary fines, and entry bans. The penalty framework includes removal and a $15-per-day fine for overstays of three months to one year, or a five-year entry ban.
For overstays exceeding one year, offenders face removal and a 10-year or permanent entry ban.
The NIS emphasized that the crackdown aims to uphold lawful migration, strengthen national security, and enhance transparency within Nigeria’s immigration system.
