The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched a nationwide enforcement exercise targeting foreigners who overstayed their visas or breached immigration rules, following the expiration of the Federal Government’s visa-amnesty programme.
The amnesty, which took effect on July 5, 2025, officially ended at midnight on September 30, 2025. It gave non-citizens with expired immigration documents a chance to regularise their stay without penalties.
Nationwide Enforcement Begins October 1
In a late Tuesday statement issued just before the deadline, NIS spokesperson, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, confirmed that immigration officers would commence operations on October 1, 2025.
The enforcement will focus on holders of:
- Expired Visa on Arrival
- Expired single or multiple-entry short-visit and business visas
- Expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permits and Automated Cards (CERPAC)
Penalties for Overstayers
Offenders now face deportation, monetary fines, and future entry restrictions. According to the Service’s penalty framework:
- Short-term overstays: removal and a $15 per day fine
- 3 months to 1 year: removal, fines, or a 5-year entry ban
- Over 1 year: removal and a 10-year or permanent ban
The Immigration Service stressed that the enforcement is designed to strengthen lawful migration, protect national security, and promote transparency in Nigeria’s immigration system.
“The Service will not compromise on enforcing compliance with immigration laws,” Akinlabi said.
