FG Imposes 10-Year Entry Ban for Visa Overstay, Announces $15 Daily Fine
- Nigerian government has announced a five-year ban for expatriates who overstay their visas beyond six months and a 10-year ban for those who overstay their visas for one year, effective from August 2025
- A daily fine of $15 will be charged for overstaying, alongside the launch of automated landing and exit cards, electronic visas, and mandatory Expatriate Comprehensive Insurance
- The minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, confirmed this in a statement and shared further details
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Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Lagos state - The federal government le by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced stricter immigration penalties.
FG warned that expatriates who overstayed their visas beyond six months will face a five-year entry ban, while one-year overstayed of one year will attract a 10-year ban.
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According to the federal government, any of the overstays will incur a daily fine of $15, starting from the visa’s stated exit date.
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The penalty will take effect from August 1, 2025, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo disclosed.
As reported by The Punch, Tunji-Ojo made the announcement while unveiling the Ministry of Interior’s new Expatriate Administration System during a meeting with the Organised Private Sector and other stakeholders at the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association House in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday, April 11.
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“If you overstay, there will be consequences. Overstaying by six months attracts a five-year ban; one year attracts a 10-year ban. There is also a $15 daily overstay penalty. People claim to be visiting Nigeria for two weeks but stay for 30 years working — that must end.
“While the new measures take effect from May 1, a three-month moratorium will be given to allow expatriates to regularise their status before strict enforcement begins in August,” Tunji-Ojo said.
Among the reforms set to roll out from May 1, 2025, are the automated Landing and Exit Cards, Electronic Visa, Expatriate Comprehensive Insurance, and an upgraded Combined Expatriate Resident Permit and Alien Card.
Speaking further, the minister added that the measures aimed to curb visa overstays and obtain accurate data on expatriates in Nigeria.
Read more about visas here:
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- FG set to launch e-visa system in Nigeria after scrapping visa-on-arrival policy
- E-visa system, digitalized airport cards unveiled as Tinubu's govt sends crucial message to Nigerians
US announces 4 new requirements for visa interviews for Nigerians
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the United States Embassy in Nigeria announced four major requirements for Nigerians applying for its visa interviews.
These four announcements were disclosed on the commission's website on Friday, April 11, adding that they will take effect on Tuesday, April 22.
According to the US Mission in Nigeria, interested applicants should adhere to the requirements to avoid unwanted consequences.
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Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.
Kola Muhammed (Copyeditor) Kola Muhammed is an experienced editor and content strategist who has overseen content and public relations strategies for some of the biggest (media) brands in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has over 5 years of experience in copyediting.
