The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has introduced a new initiative aimed at foreign nationals who failed to legalise their residency or leave the country following the recent expiry of an amnesty programme. This final measure, termed the Post-Amnesty Voluntary Return and Documentation Programme (PAVRDP), offers visa overstayers one last chance to report themselves before facing severe legal penalties. The programme is scheduled to begin on 13 October 2025.
This development follows the conclusion of the earlier Expired Visa Initiative, an amnesty period that ended on 30 September 2025. That initial initiative, which launched on 1 May 2025 and was subsequently extended, provided a unique opportunity for foreign residents with expired documentation to regularise their status without incurring penalties. It applied broadly to several categories of individuals, including those with expired Visa on Arrival (VoA), single and multiple-entry visas, and those whose Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) renewals were significantly overdue.
Now that the deadline has passed, the NIS has commenced a nationwide enforcement operation against foreign nationals who are in breach of their entry and residency conditions. The Post-Amnesty Programme is a structured route for these individuals to voluntarily come forward, a necessity given the commencement of arrests, detentions, and removals that started at the beginning of October.
Under the new programme, all affected persons are directed to report immediately to the nearest Immigration Command office for registration and documentation. The Service has confirmed that once individuals have reported, their specific circumstances will be thoroughly assessed on a case-by-case basis. This review process will determine the appropriate course of action, which will be carried out strictly in accordance with the provisions outlined in Nigeria’s Immigration Act of 2015 and related regulations. This process is designed to ensure a fair yet firm application of the law while documenting those who are leaving voluntarily.
The NIS has simultaneously issued a strong warning to those who fail to comply with the new programme. Any foreign national found to have breached the conditions of their visa or residence permit, and who subsequently fails to report themselves for the PAVRDP, will face the full weight of the law. Such non-compliant individuals will be subject to arrest, detention, and forced removal from Nigeria, as provided by extant immigration laws. Furthermore, these penalties will include the imposition of long-term bans on re-entry into the country.
In a critical reminder to the wider public, the Immigration Service also stressed that assisting, sheltering, or otherwise harbouring foreign nationals who are known to be in the country illegally constitutes a serious and punishable offence under Nigerian legislation. Similarly, any breach of the conditions set for the regularisation of stay is also considered an offence. The Service therefore firmly advises all individuals, companies, and other organisations to strictly desist from such acts in order to avoid potential prosecution themselves. The introduction of the Post-Amnesty Voluntary Return and Documentation Programme serves as the final administrative opportunity for overstayers to resolve their status peacefully before immigration enforcement operations take precedence.
