Nigeria’s Expired Visa Initiative offers a temporary, penalty-free window from May 1 to September 30, 2025, for foreign nationals with expired immigration status to either regularise their stay or leave the country voluntarily.
The Federal Government unveiled an amnesty programme on July 6, 2025, for foreign nationals with expired immigration documents, offering them a chance to regularise their stay or exit the country voluntarily without penalties. The Expired Visa Initiative launched on May 1 and will run until September 30, 2025, and aims to reinforce Nigeria’s new visa regime and ensure tighter migration control.
Implemented by the Ministry of Interior in partnership with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the scheme targets those who have overstayed their visas or breached immigration conditions, including holders of expired Visa-on-Arrival, single and multiple-entry visas, and CERPACs expired for more than 30 days.
Applicants can register on the official portal amnesty.immigration.gov.ng, where they must submit personal and passport details, reasons for seeking amnesty, and upload expired documentation. They then indicate whether they wish to legalise their residency or exit Nigeria voluntarily.
The NIS emphasises that the grace period is limited and warns that foreigners who fail to take advantage before the September 30 deadline risk enforcement actions including fines and deportation.
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