Nigerian govt issues final 3-month warning to foreigners with expired visas, announces stiff penalties

The federal government has reiterated its warning to foreigners with expired visas, urging them to depart Nigeria within a three-month grace period to avoid severe sanctions.

“The Nigeria Immigration Service wishes to further inform the general public that a window period of three months from 1st May to 1st August 2025 shall be granted to allow foreigners residing in Nigeria with expired visas to return to their home country voluntarily without penalty,” Immigration spokesman ACI Akinsola Akinlabi stated in a release on Friday in Abuja.

This announcement comes as the service confirms that, effective August 2nd, a permanent entry ban will be imposed on foreigners who overstay their visas by more than 12 months.

Minister of Interior Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had previously announced stricter measures at a meeting with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) in Lagos last month, including a five-year entry ban for those overstaying by six months and a ten-year ban for those overstaying by more than one year, along with a $15 daily fine from the visa’s expiration date.

However, the NIS statement clarifies that the penalty for overstaying for one year or more has been upgraded to a permanent blacklist.

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“In addition to the introduction of the e-Visa, Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 now makes it mandatory for foreigners who overstay their visas to be liable to the following penalties (effective from 2nd August 2025): Overstay Penalties (Effective from 1st September 2025): $15 per day; 3 months and above: $15/day + 5-year entry ban; and 1 year and above: $15/day + blacklisting (permanent entry ban),” Akinlabi detailed.

The statement also confirmed the rollout of the e-Visa Application System and Automated Landing and Exit Card, effective from May 1st, as previously scheduled.

Akinlabi explained, “Following the 2024 review of Nigeria’s visa policy, the updated 2025 policy introduces an e-visa system with enhanced security protocols. The e-Visa application process is strictly online from end to end. Processing time for e-Visas will be 48 hours or less. The e-Visa application system introduces 13 visa types of Short Visit Visa (SVV); details can be found on https://evisa.immigration.gov.ng/. Once approved, visas and the QR codes will be sent electronically via the applicant’s email. Visa on Arrival will be officially discontinued as the new e-Visa takes off on 1st May 2025. Visas obtained through the e-Visa Channel are not extendable. Visa on Arrival already issued will remain valid until 30th May 2025.”

The NIS also announced the replacement of the manual embarkation and disembarkation card with an electronic landing and exit card system.

“The current manual embarkation and disembarkation card has been replaced by an electronic landing and exit card via https://lecard.immigration.gov.ng/. Automated landing and exit cards have been introduced for inbound and outbound passengers into Nigeria. For the inbound passengers (excluding Nigerians), the landing card must be duly completed online before boarding. For the outbound passengers, the exit card must be duly completed online before departure. The exit card system is synchronised with the Visa Processing Centre and will automatically apply penalties, including visa bans, where applicable,” Akinlabi added.

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