Nigeria Visa

In Nigeria, applying for a visa is an essential requirement for foreign nationals of most countries. Those who wish to visit or immigrate to Nigeria for any length of time will be required to make a visa application in order to gain entry clearance for Nigeria. At present, the only exceptions are the ECOWAS nations which form the Economic Community of West African States, whose nationals may visit Nigeria without the need to apply for a visa.

 

Global Visas can help you to obtain a visa for Nigeria. As a specialist immigration consultancy we can obtain worldwide visas for a constantly expanding range of destinations across the world, and whilst we specialise in UK immigration and Australian immigration we can also help you to secure a USA visa, Canada visa, New Zealand visa and many more. We can manage and monitor your application at every stage of the process and a Global Visas immigration consultant will be on hand to answer any queries or concerns you may have. Global Visas’ team of specialist immigration lawyers and migration consultants can ensure that you embark upon the best immigration services for your needs.

Types of Visa for Nigeria

Nigerian Tourist Visa

Nigerian Tourist Visas, as with tourist visas for many other destinations are designed as a temporary immigration service. In Nigeria, visas of this kind are valid for a period of three months and are issued to applicants who wish to visit Nigeria for the purposes of tourism or to visit family and friends. Nigerian entry clearance of this class does not permit its holder to engage in any form of employment, whether paid or unpaid during their time in the country and is issued with the obligation for the candidate to return to their country of residence at the expiry of the permit.

Candidates applying for a Nigerian visa of this class will need to satisfy a number of requirements as follows:

  • All candidates must supply a current and valid passport from their country of residence. Passports must be valid for a minimum of six months.
  • Reinforcing the temporary nature of this visa service, Candidates will need to demonstrate the purpose of their visit and their intention to return home. Whilst the first point can be illustrated through evidence of a holiday booking, the second can be satisfied by a valid return or onward travel ticket. Where applicants are entering Nigeria for a private visit to family or friends an invitation from the host will be required.
  • Applicants will also need to provide proof of sufficient funding for the duration of their stay in Nigeria.

Nigerian Business Visa

Nigerian Business Visas may be issued for single or double entry and are granted to foreign nationals who wish to relocate to Nigeria on a temporary basis in order to engage in business activities with the exception of employment. Business visas are designed to facilitate business travellers entering Nigeria in order to attend conferences or meetings or enter business negotiations. Initially these permits are issued for a duration of 90 days, however this can be extended as necessary. The eligibility requirements of this type of visa are similar to those of a visitor visa with the addition of a letter of invitation from the Nigerian company in question.

Nigerian Work Permit

In Nigeria, STR (Subject to Regularisation) visas are the precursor to a Nigerian work permit, designed for people who wish to live and work in Nigeria on a long term basis. Like a UK work permit, and working permits in many countries, applying for Nigerian work permits of this kind is an employer led process. In Nigeria, immigration of this kind is subject to an Approved Expatriate Quota; Nigerian companies bringing foreign nationals into the country to work must confirm that they have a vacancy on offer giving full details of the position. This type of work permit for Nigeria caters for spouse immigration and dependent immigration permitting the immediate family members of successful candidates to commence living and working in Nigeria alongside the main applicant. This type of work visa for Nigerian immigration is issued for 90 days during which time an application must be made to "regularise" the stay of the candidate. Once this has been achieved, a Nigerian Residence work permit will be issued; only at this point may the candidate take up employment.

Nigerian Temporary Work Permit (T.W.P)

In Nigeria, work permit applications of this kind are intended as a temporary measure and deal with foreign nationals entering Nigeria in order to perform specific services for a prearranged period such as installation work, auditing of accounts, research and repairs to equipment. Once more, this process is an employer led one and as with a long-term permit for work, the cost of bringing the candidate to Nigeria will be borne by the company. These permits are issued for 3 months initially although they may be extended at the discretion of the Comptroller-General of Immigration.

Approval of work authorization of this kind will normally be confirmed by a cablegram, which will be sent to both the employee and the relevant Nigerian embassy.

Processing Times and Fees

Whilst most applications for Nigeria can be processed within 3-5 working days, it should be noted that processing times may be subject to change and may vary due to factors such as the nationality of the applicant and the type of permit being sought. Fees for Nigerian visas are also subject to change and will vary depending upon the candidate’s nationality. A migration consultant at Global Visas will be able to discuss fees and processing periods in detail.