The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has commenced a nationwide enforcement operation targeting foreign nationals who have overstayed their visas or violated immigration conditions, following the expiration of the Federal Government’s visa amnesty window.
The enforcement action, which kicked off on October 1, 2025, comes immediately after the end of the amnesty programme introduced by the government on July 5, 2025. The initiative offered foreign nationals with expired immigration documents an opportunity to regularize their status without facing penalties, a window that officially closed at midnight on September 30.
In a statement issued just before the deadline, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration (ACI) Akinsola Akinlabi, confirmed that the Service would begin active enforcement across the country, targeting:
- Holders of expired Visa on Arrival (VoA)
- Individuals with lapsed single or multiple-entry business and visit visas
- Foreigners with expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permits and Aliens Cards (CERPAC)
Violators Face Deportation, Fines, and Long-Term Entry Bans
The NIS outlined a tiered penalty framework for violators:
- Less than 3 months overstay: Option of removal, $15 per day fine, or a 2-year entry ban
- 3 months to 1 year overstay: Removal, $15 per day fine, or a 5-year ban
- Over 1 year: Automatic removal and a 10-year or permanent ban
“This exercise is part of efforts to ensure lawful migration, protect national security, and enhance transparency within Nigeria’s immigration system,” the NIS stated.
NIS Urges Compliance, Warns Against Non-Regularization
The Immigration Service emphasized that the enforcement drive is not aimed at witch-hunting, but rather at upholding the rule of law and maintaining orderly migration standards.
The agency urged all foreign nationals currently residing in Nigeria to ensure that their immigration documentation is valid and up to date, warning that failure to comply would attract strict sanctions.
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