In March 2025, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria issued a stern statement: Nigerian nationals who overstay their U.S. visas risk deportation, criminal prosecution, and permanent bans on future travel. The embassy emphasized that there is no excuse—overshoot beyond authorized admission is visible to consular officers who have full access to travelers’ immigration records. “There is no such thing as an ‘honest mistake’,” the mission declared, placing the onus squarely on individuals to track their allowed stay.
Under American immigration law, overstays of more than 180 days but less than one year may result in a three-year re-entry ban. Staying beyond a year can trigger a ten-year ban, and repeat offenses or serious violations may lead to lifetime exclusion. These consequences apply regardless of intent, and ignorance of rules is not accepted.
The warning extended beyond overstays. The U.S. Mission—under the Trump administration’s renewed emphasis on immigration control—also pledged to prosecute cases involving visa fraud or harboring undocumented immigrants. U.S. officials confirmed that visa fraud offenders face permanent bans, and criminal charges will be pursued if necessary.
Since July 2025, Nigerian applicants for non-immigrant visas now receive single‑entry, three‑month validity visas, replacing the former five-year multiple-entry categories. Officials cited consistency with global reciprocity standards and concerns over visa misuse. While visa expiration dates differ from entry-duration stamps (I‑94), both matters are strictly enforced.
Nigeria’s federal government has responded by emphasizing the burden such policies impose—particularly on students, professionals, and long-term workers. It has opened diplomatic channels to seek policy review and affirm principles of reciprocity and fairness in the bilateral migration framework.
Domestically, Nigeria has introduced a new visa policy with penalties for overstays: visitors will face a $15 daily fine, and those overstaying by six months may be barred from re-entry for five years, while one-year overstays attract ten-year bans. A grace/amnesty window ran through July 2025 to allow regularization.
Overall, this diplomatic standoff spotlights rising scrutiny of immigration compliance in Nigerian–U.S. relations. While the U.S. emphasizes national security and procedural integrity, Nigerian authorities warn of the humanitarian and diplomatic fallout of broad punitive policies imposed without bilateral discussion or reciprocity.
