Nigeria to charge $15 a day for visa overstays from August
People who overstay their visas in Nigeria will soon have to pay a fine of $15 for each extra day they stay in the country.
The new rule will start in August 2025.
This is part of Nigeria’s new visa policy, which the government says is meant to stop people from abusing the visa system.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said that although the fines are already in place, no one will be charged until August next year.
This gives visitors time to understand the new rules and leave the country if their visas have expired.
Anyone who overstays their visa by three months could be banned from entering Nigeria again for five year and persons who stay for a year or more could be banned for ten years, local reports say.
Mr Tunji-Ojo said the penalty is not meant to scare travellers but to make the system fair and protect the country.
“If you don’t obey the rules in another country, you face the consequences. We want people to treat Nigeria the same way,” he said during a meeting in Lagos.
The Nigeria Immigration Service will be in charge of collecting the fines and making sure people follow the new rules.
The government has also made changes to make it easier for people to apply for Nigerian visas. You can now do the whole process online—from applying to tracking your visa and even getting the approval.
The new visa policy was discussed during a meeting attended by immigration officers, embassy officials, and people working in the travel and visa business.
