“Overstay Your Visa and Face Up to 10-Year Ban, $15 Daily Fine” — Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo Unveils Tough New Immigration Rules, Automated E-Visa System, and Mandatory Insurance for Expats
The Federal Government has introduced stricter immigration penalties, warning that expatriates who overstay their visas will face severe consequences including multi-year entry bans and daily fines.
From August 1, any expatriate who overstays by six months will face a five-year ban, while those who overstay for one year will receive a 10-year entry ban. In addition, a $15 daily fine will be imposed starting from the visa’s official expiry date.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during the unveiling of a new Expatriate Administration System at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association House in Ikeja, Lagos on Friday.
As part of the reforms rolling out from May 1 — the Ministry will introduce:
- Automated Landing and Exit Cards
- Electronic Visa (e-Visa) system
- Expatriate Comprehensive Insurance
- Upgraded CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Resident Permit and Alien Card)
- Temporary Residence Visas
- Temporary Work Permits
- A revised Expatriate Quota system
Tunji-Ojo emphasized that these measures aim to curb illegal stays and provide accurate data on foreigners living in Nigeria. “Our data shows fewer than 50,000 expatriates in Nigeria, which we know is inaccurate,” he said. “You cannot plan without proper data. Data is the backbone of national development.”
He stressed that expatriates must now exit Nigeria before their visa expires and apply for any extension only from outside the country. The current paper-based landing and exit cards will be fully automated, aligning with Nigeria’s digital transformation goals.
“This is not new we’re just digitizing an existing process. In a tech-savvy nation of 230 million, paper cards should be a thing of the past,” Tunji-Ojo noted. The automation, he added, will improve tracking of visa overstays.
To ensure compliance, a three-month grace period will be granted beginning May 1, allowing expatriates to regularize their status before enforcement kicks in on August 1.
The new e-Visa system, also launching May 1, will allow applicants to receive visas within 48 hours, replacing the current visa-on-arrival model which the minister criticized for enabling corruption and favoritism.
“The e-visa simplifies the process for genuine travelers tourists, investors, and professionals. No more lobbying. It’s secure, fast, and transparent,” he said.
Also introduced is a mandatory Expatriate Comprehensive Insurance policy, aimed at ending the financial burden of deportations on the Nigerian government. “We spend billions annually on repatriation. Just last month, we exhausted our budget and had to request an additional ₦25 million,” Tunji-Ojo revealed.
Instead of requiring large repatriation deposits sometimes exceeding $10,000 expatriates will now pay an annual insurance premium along with their CERPAC fees.
“Your stay in Nigeria should benefit you and the country not drain national resources,” the minister said.
These sweeping changes reflect the government’s push for better immigration control, efficient data management, and national security.
Follow News Review on Facebook and X
