The Nigeria Immigration Service has announced a new enforcement measure targeting visa overstays.

Beginning September 1, 2025, all foreign nationals who remain in the country beyond their approved visa duration will be required to pay a daily fine of $15 for each day of overstay.

This policy was confirmed in an official statement issued on Monday by the Service Public Relations Officer, AS Akinlabi, at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.

This new penalty regime is part of ongoing immigration reforms by the current administration, following the rollout of a digital e-Visa system and the implementation of automated landing and exit cards effective May 1, 2025.

A daily fine of $15 will apply to all instances of visa overstay. Individuals who overstay by three months or more will incur the fine and face a five-year entry ban. Overstays of one year or longer will attract the fine, result in blacklisting, and lead to a permanent ban from re-entering Nigeria.

Although the fines will be enforced from September 1, the overstay tracking mechanism will be activated a month earlier, on August 2, 2025.

“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 & above: $15/day + 5-year entry ban

“1 year & above: $15/day + blacklisting (permanent entry ban),” the statement read in part.

To facilitate a seamless transition, the Nigerian Immigration Service has announced a three-month amnesty from May 1 to August 1, 2025.

During this period, foreigners in Nigeria with expired visas can leave the country voluntarily without facing any fines or penalties.

The updated visa policy eliminates the Visa on Arrival option, introduces 13 new categories of Short Visit Visas, and fully transitions the visa application process to an online platform.

Meanwhile, all travelers entering or leaving Nigeria are now required to complete electronic landing and exit cards at https://lecard.immigration.gov.ng.

Inbound travelers must complete the landing card online before boarding their flights, while outbound travelers must fill out the exit card prior to departure.