The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has begun a nationwide enforcement drive against foreigners who have overstayed their visas or breached entry conditions, following the end of the three-month amnesty period approved by the Federal Government.
The amnesty window, which ran from July 5 until midnight on September 30, 2025, gave non-citizens with irregular immigration status the opportunity to regularise their stay without facing penalties.
NIS spokesperson, Akinsola Akinlabi, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that the agency would begin strict enforcement from October 1, 2025.
“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.
According to the NIS, the exercise will focus on holders of expired Visa on Arrival (VoA), expired single and multiple-entry short visit or business visas, expired Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permits and Automated Cards.
The crackdown is part of broader immigration reforms introduced in April, which included a $15 daily surcharge for visa overstays. The temporary moratorium was designed to encourage compliance before full enforcement began.
The NIS reiterated its commitment to ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s immigration laws while encouraging lawful foreign residents to continue contributing to the nation’s development.
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