FG SETS AUGUST 1 DEADLINE FOR VISA OVERSTAY PENALTIES, LAUNCHES AMNESTY PORTAL FOR FOREIGNERS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Federal Government has announced August 1, 2025 as the enforcement date for strict penalties against foreigners who overstay their visas in Nigeria, following the launch of an online immigration amnesty portal to allow affected individuals regularise their status.
Interior Minister, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure on Monday at a stakeholders’ sensitization event held at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja. He urged diplomatic missions to advise their nationals to utilise the grace period provided by the amnesty, which runs through July 31.
“Once the amnesty period is over, we will implement the law 100 percent. Of course, there will be penalties for overstaying in Nigeria,” Tunji-Ojo warned.
The new rules part of sweeping immigration reforms introduce a $15 daily surcharge for overstays, in addition to stiff re-entry bans. According to the implementation guidelines, individuals who overstay by six months will face a five-year ban, while those who remain a year or more risk a 10-year ban.
The new portal allows holders of expired visa-on-arrival permits, lapsed single-entry visas, and overdue expatriate residence cards to apply online for a stay permit. The process enables digital upload of supporting documents and eliminates the need for physical visits to immigration offices.
The Interior Minister also revealed that over 14,000 applications have already been processed through Nigeria’s newly launched electronic visa system, introduced in May 2025. He added that the reform aims to improve national security, data integrity, and ease of travel.
“This is not just about enforcement; it’s about innovation, national pride and digital transformation,” he said, while emphasizing that “our laws must be respected.”
Tunji-Ojo further disclosed that the Federal Government had saved nearly N1 billion annually by scrapping manual archiving contracts for passports and visas in 2023.
The passport automation reform, launched officially in January 2024, has digitized 99 percent of passport processing, allowing applicants to complete forms, upload documents, and pay online. Physical contact is limited to biometric capture and collection, streamlined into 20-minute appointments.
He credited the reform with ending long delays and corruption in passport issuance. “If you want to kill corruption, kill scarcity,” Tunji-Ojo declared, referencing how applicants once paid exorbitant bribes to obtain booklets.
The government also plans to roll out fully digital Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (e-CERPAC) and Temporary Work Permit (TWP) systems in the coming days, in a further bid to curb abuse and streamline documentation.
On her part, Comptroller General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap, said Nigeria’s visa reforms now include e-CERPAC, e-Visa application channels, Landing/Exit Cards, and digitised Temporary Work Permits. She added that the country has deployed e-Gates and a Command-and-Control Centre at major airports to support these initiatives.
“These digital solutions enhance security and improve traveller experience by eliminating inefficiencies and reducing human interface,” Nandap said.
The ministry urged all foreign nationals to regularise their stay through the amnesty portal before July 31, to avoid penalties starting August 1, 2025.
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