The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has begun a nationwide enforcement operation against foreign nationals who overstayed their visas or breached entry conditions, following the expiration of a three-month amnesty granted by the Federal Government.
The amnesty, which ran from July 5 to September 30, allowed foreigners with irregular immigration status to regularise their stay without penalties.
“With the expiration of the amnesty period, effective October 1, 2025, enforcement actions will commence nationwide against foreign nationals who have overstayed their visa or violated their entry conditions,” NIS spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi said in a statement on Wednesday.
The crackdown targets holders of expired visas on arrival, single and multiple-entry short visit visas, business visas, as well as expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permits and Automated Cards.
Foreigners found in violation face deportation, fines, or entry bans.
Those who overstay less than three months risk removal, a $15 daily fine, or a two-year entry ban. Overstays between three months and one year attract removal, fines, or a five-year entry ban, while violations exceeding one year carry the penalty of deportation and a ban of up to ten years or permanently.
The NIS said the measures are designed to safeguard national security and strengthen compliance with immigration laws.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had earlier urged diplomats to advise their nationals to make use of the amnesty window, stressing that Nigeria’s immigration laws must be respected.
The enforcement forms part of reforms introduced in April, which included the imposition of a $15 daily surcharge for visa overstays, with a temporary waiver granted to encourage compliance.