By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel
Federal government has again warned foreigners with expired visas to leave the country within three months or risk sanctions.
“Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, wishes to inform the general public that a window period of three months from May 1 to August 1 shall be granted to allow foreigners residing in Nigeria with expired visas to return to their home country voluntarily without penalty,” NIS spokesman, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi said in a statement yesterday in Abuja.
This is even as the service announced that from August 2, there will be a permanent ban on foreigners who overstay their visas for over 12 months.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had at a meeting with the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, in Lagos last month, announced a five-year entry ban for expatriates who overstay for six months and a 10-year ban for those who overstay for over one year. The ban would also come with a $15 daily fine from the exit date on the visa.
However, NIS, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said those who overstay for one year and above would be blacklisted permanently.
“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 August 2): Overstay Penalties (Effective from September 1): $15 per day; three months and above: $15/day + five-year entry ban; and one year and above: $15/day + blacklisting (permanent entry ban),” Akinlabi said.
He also said, as earlier scheduled, government has now rolled out an e-Visa Application System and Automated Landing and Exit Card, which became effective from May 1.
He said, “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 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 May 1. Visas obtained through the e-Visa Channel are not extendable. Visa on Arrival already issued will remain valid until May 30.
“The current manual embarkation and disembarkation card has been replaced by an electronic landing and exit card via https://lecard.immigration.gov.ng/.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 inbound passengers (excluding Nigerians), the landing card must be duly completed online before boarding. For 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.
