Nigerian government deadline set August 1 for an overstayers visa, tightening immigration enforcement

The federal government has announced August 1, 2025, as the date of commencement for the enforcement of full penalties against foreign citizens who exceed their visas in Nigeria.

Towards the deadline, the Ministry of Home Affairs has launched an online immigration amnesty portal to enable individual affected by regulating their status without facing immediate sanctions.

Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Olubunmi Tupi-Ojo revealed the time line during the sensitization of stakeholders at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Abuja on Monday. Speaking to members of the diplomatic corps, he urged foreign residents to take advantage of the Amnesty window, which remained open until July 31, 2025.

“I beg you, we open the immigration amnesty portal in July. Please encourage your citizens to take advantage of this opportunity,” said the Minister. “After the amnesty period is completed, we will implement a 100 percent law. There will be a punishment for oversaying in Nigeria.”

Amnesty formed a part of a comprehensive immigration reform package launched in April 2025. The main components of the policy include additional daily $ 15 for every day visitors permanent in the country outside the official stay and a rigid re-entry prohibition for severe violations. Without six months will take a ban on re -entry five years, while which exceeds one year will face a 10 -year ban.

The newly launched portal facilitates regularisation by allowing the expired visa-on-visa-com holders, a single single entry visa, or a passing permit for expatriates to apply for online clearance. Applicants can upload relevant documents and receive digital approval without physically visiting the Immigration Office.

Tunji-ojo emphasized the need to uphold immigration law and ensure that the Nigerian legal framework was respected by all residents, regardless of nationality.

The Minister also provides an update on the ongoing government digital transformation of immigration services. He revealed that canceling the archiving of the visa and passport files at the end of 2023 had saved the government almost ₦ 1 billion per year.

“We cancel physical presentations and manual archives that cost nearly one billion naira per year,” said Tunji-Ojo. “This gives us the opportunity to verify the previous documents, increase the integrity of our basic data.”

The ministry officially started the e-passport automation drive on January 8, 2024, mandating digital applications for new requests and updates. Under the current system, applicants complete their delivery online, including uploading supporting documents, and only appear directly for biometric arrest and passport collection.

In May 2025, 99 percent of the passport issuance was fully automatic, according to the Immigration Officer, with the remaining compressed procedures into a 20 -minute promise. Reformation has eliminated broad delays and exploitation of applicants who are desperate with brokers.

“Many years ago, people waited for months and paid brokers ₦ 200,000 to ₦ 500,000 for ₦ 100,000 Buklet Passport,” the Minister recalled. “If you want to kill corruption, kill scarcity.”

Dr. Supi-ojo also highlighted the rapid absorption of the visa electronic system (e-visa), reporting more than 14,000 applications processed within six weeks after its launch.

“With any global standards, it is successful,” he said, adding that a small system obstacle was being handled.

He further announced that two additional digital services, the combined electronic residence permit and Aliens Card (E-Cerpac) and Electronic Election Work IID (E-TWP), will be aired in a week. This increase is designed to clamp the abuse of TWP provisions, which has been historically manipulated by expatriates to cut legal residency requirements.

“The era when people come to TWP and renew without stopping to avoid proper documentation have ended,” he said. “Cerpac and TWP are automatic now.”