The Federal Government has issued a final warning to foreigners living in Nigeria with expired visas, giving them until August 1, 2025, to leave the country voluntarily or face sanctions, including permanent entry bans.
In a statement released Friday in Abuja, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) spokesman ACI Akinsola Akinlabi said the three-month grace period, from May 1 to August 1, allows affected foreigners to exit Nigeria without penalty.
From August 2, 2025, those who overstay their visas by more than 12 months will be permanently blacklisted. Earlier, Minister of Interior Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had announced a five-year ban for expatriates who overstay for six months and a ten-year ban for overstays of over a year. These penalties will come with a daily fine of $15 starting from the visa’s expiration date.
The NIS further clarified that effective from September 1, 2025, foreigners who overstay their visas by:
- Three months or more will face a $15 daily fine and a five-year ban.
- One year or more will face the same fine and a permanent ban.
The government has also rolled out an e-Visa Application System and Automated Landing and Exit Cards from May 1, 2025. The new e-Visa system is fully online, offering faster processing times of 48 hours and introducing 13 categories of Short Visit Visas. Approved visas and QR codes will be sent electronically via email. Visa on Arrival has been discontinued, with already-issued visas valid only until May 30, 2025.
In addition, the manual landing and exit cards have been replaced with an automated system. All inbound and outbound non-Nigerian travelers must complete the forms online via the official immigration website before boarding or departure. The new system is linked to Nigeria’s visa processing center and will automatically enforce penalties, including bans, for violators.
