FG Slams Ban On Foreigners Who Overstay Visa, $15 Daily Fine

The Federal Government has announced stricter immigration penalties, warning that expatriates who overstay their visas beyond six months will face a five-year entry ban, while overstaying for one year will lead to a 10-year ban.

Additionally, starting from August 1, 2025, overstayers will incur a daily fine of $15, beginning from the visa’s stated exit date.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the announcement during a meeting with the Organised Private Sector and other stakeholders at the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association House in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday.

Tunji-Ojo unveiled the Ministry of Interior’s new Expatriate Administration System, which is set to launch several reforms on May 1, 2025.

Among the upcoming reforms are the automated Landing and Exit Cards, Electronic Visa, Expatriate Comprehensive Insurance, and an upgraded Combined Expatriate Resident Permit and Alien Card.

Other changes include the introduction of a Temporary Resident visa, Temporary Work Permit, and a revised Expatriate Quota system.

Tunji-Ojo explained that the reforms aim to curb visa overstays and obtain accurate data on expatriates in Nigeria.

He noted that current records show fewer than 50,000 expatriates, which he described as inaccurate, stressing the need for reliable data to ensure effective planning.

Under the new system, Landing and Exit Cards will be automated. Expatriates will now be required to complete these cards online.

“You must exit the country on or before your visa expiry date, and extensions must be applied for from outside Nigeria,” he said. The automated process will help track overstayers, with penalties including a five-year ban for six-month overstays and a 10-year ban for one-year overstays, in addition to the $15 daily fine.

A three-month grace period will be given from May 1 for expatriates to regularize their status before the penalties take full effect in August 2025.

The new Electronic Visa system, also launching on May 1, will allow applicants to obtain visas within 48 hours.

This new system replaces the previous visa-on-arrival regime, which was vulnerable to corruption and influence-peddling.

Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the e-visa system will make accessing Nigeria easier for legitimate tourists and business travellers, promoting opportunities without the bottlenecks of the previous process.

Additionally, an Expatriate Comprehensive Insurance policy will now be mandatory. Tunji-Ojo explained that this policy was introduced to address the government’s annual expenses on repatriation, which have consistently exceeded budget allocations. The insurance will cover repatriation costs for defaulters, reducing the financial burden on the government.

The CERPAC process will also be fully automated, with no increase in fees. The system will integrate with Interpol to enhance the tracking of criminals and individuals with questionable intentions. Furthermore, employers will now be held accountable for immigration violations committed by their foreign employees.