NIS Begins Enforcement After Expiration of Visa Amnesty

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched nationwide enforcement operations following the expiration of the Federal Government’s three-month visa amnesty programme on October 1, 2025.

The crackdown targets foreign nationals who failed to regularise their immigration status during the grace period granted by the government.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NIS spokesman Akinsola Akinlabi said violators would face strict penalties, including fines, deportation, or lifetime entry bans.

“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,” Akinlabi said.

The enforcement covers a wide category of foreigners, including those with expired Visa on Arrival (VoA), expired single- and multiple-entry visit or business visas, and holders of expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permit and Automated Cards (CERPAC).

According to the NIS, foreigners who have overstayed by less than three months risk removal, a $15 daily fine, or a two-year entry ban.

Those who have overstayed between three months and one year face removal, a $15 daily fine, or a five-year entry ban. Offenders who have overstayed for more than a year risk deportation, a 10-year entry ban, or a permanent ban from entering Nigeria.

The Service emphasised that the measures were necessary to safeguard national security, strengthen migration management, and uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s borders.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service remains committed to enforcing the law, protecting national interests, and promoting transparency and efficiency across all immigration processes,” Akinlabi added.

The new enforcement marks a shift from leniency to strict compliance, underscoring the government’s resolve to regulate migration in line with global standards.