The Federal Government has granted a two-month extension of amnesty to foreigners who might have overstayed their visas.

The expired visa initiative is to enhance compliance with the new visa regime and reinforce a secure and transparent migration system.

Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, had at a meeting with the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association NECA in March said the government would begin a serious clampdown on irregular migrants in the country as from August 1.

Accordingly, he announced a grace period of three months from May 1, when the new Expatriate Administration System EAS will take place, to August 1, when the government would begin enforcement.

Providing an update on the issue, the Spokesman of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, said, “The initiative, which commenced on May 1 2025, runs until September 30 2025, and specifically applies to individuals who have either overstayed their visas or violated their visa conditions.”

According to him, the initiative provides a unique window for foreigners currently residing in Nigeria with expired immigration status to regularize their stay without facing penalties.

He said, “⁠The amnesty applies to the following categories: Foreign nationals with Expired Visa on Arrival VoA; Holders of Expired Single and Multiple-Entry Visas; and, Individuals with an Expired Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC), where renewal has exceeded 30 days post-expiration”.