Nigeria Visa

The Federal Republic of Nigeria contains 36 states, and it is located in the West of Africa, with Abuja as the country’s capital. Nigeria has the most population among African countries, with a population of over 211 million. In the North, Nigeria reaches Niger, and its Northeastern borders meet with Chad’s borders. In addition, Nigeria reaches Cameroon on the east and Benin on the west.

This article will discuss Nigeria visas, different types of them, Nigeria visa exemptions, and nationals who need to apply for visas in general.

Who should get a Nigeria visa?

Depending on:

• Your nationality
• The duration of your stay
• Purpose of your visit to Nigeria

Nigerian laws determine if you need a visa.

Citizens or permanent residents of specific countries can benefit from Nigeria visa exemptions or visas on arrival and travel to Nigeria. Most types of Nigeria visas allow foreigners to stay in Nigeria for 90 days or three months. There are no Nigeria visa bans in place for any foreign nationalities at the moment. However, about 45 nationalities require a Nigerian embassy visitor’s visa despite their travel purpose. Therefore, there is no need for travelers to go through an extensive visa on arrival paperwork at a border checkpoint.  Nationals of nearly 170 countries are eligible to apply for an e-Visa for business or tourism-related purposes. Nigeria e-visa only needs a simple online application. Now, applicants just need to go online, complete an online form that only takes a few minutes, upload the required documents, and make the visa fee payment with a credit or debit card.

The other nationalities that are not on the visa exception or visa on arrival list need to apply to Nigerian embassies to obtain visas for the following purposes:

• Tourism
• Studying short term courses
• Visiting friends or family

What is a Nigeria E-visa?

The Nigerian Immigration Service has facilitated entry to Nigeria for business travelers and tourists using Nigeria e-visa. As mentioned, travelers of more than 170 nationalities can acquire a Nigerian electronic visa (e-visa) through a simple online application. Applicants can simply send their documents online, so they don’t need to visit an embassy in person.

Every online Nigeria visa is considered a single entry Visa. This e-visa is valid for 14 days to enter Nigeria from the issue date and grants a 30-day stay in Nigeria. Nigeria e-visa has three types:

• Single-entry (good for 90 days)
• Multiple-entry (good for 90 days)
• 7-day transit visa

Citizens of the following countries can apply for an E-visa:

What is Nigeria Visa On Arrival?

Foreigners from 20 countries can apply for a visa on arrival when they reach a border entry checkpoint of Nigeria. A visa on arrival grants travelers a stay as long as 90 days in Nigeria. Applicants for this type of visa usually travel to Nigeria for tourist, business, or transit purposes. The countries that benefit from the visa on arrival program are:

What are Nigeria visa types?

The Nigerian government offers different Nigerian visa types. Here is a list of different types of Nigeria visas for international foreigners:

• Tourist visa
• Business visa
• Temporary work permit
• STR Short-term residency

Each visa type has its requirements.

Tourist visa

Travelers looking for a fantastic experience and are willing to enjoy Nigeria’s natural and cultural sights can apply for a tourist visa to enter and visit the historic places and natural parks of Nigeria. However, these tourists can only stay in Nigeria for 90 days. Therefore, if you are from a country not on the visa exemption list, you need to apply for a Nigeria tourist visa.

Business visa

For the sake of globalization, the Nigerian government issues business visas for meetings, conferences, seminars, contract negotiations, marketing, sales, purchases, and distribution of Nigerian goods, trade fairs, interviews, training for Nigerians, disaster relief, crew members, NGOs, staff of INGOs, researchers, and musical performances. However, this visa does not grant applicants the right to work in gainful jobs and receive compensation because a business visa is limited to conducting business in another country.

Temporary work permit

The Temporary Work Permit Visa or TWP is for foreign workers and employees who plan to perform short-term work in Nigeria. Employees with exceptional skills and specialized training are often granted this visa to work in Installation, Maintenance, and repair of equipment, Training/capacity-building for Nigerian staff.

ECOWAS residence card

ECOWAS residence permits are issued by member countries of the Economic Community of West African States. Furthermore, ECOWAS citizens in other member countries have the right to move freely within ECOWAS for a period of time, according to the ECOWAS treaty.

Nigeria Tourist Visa Requirements

Applying for a Nigeria visa requires many documents. There is a list of general documents applicants need to apply for Nigeria visas below:

Nigeria Tourist Visa application form

This is an online form. First, the applicant has to complete the form. Then, the completed version of the form will be sent to the applicant via email in five business hours. Finally, applicants must download, print, and sign the form.

Passport

Applicant’s passport must have validity for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank pages to attach visas to them.

Copy of applicant’s Passport

Applicants need to present a colored copy of their passport identification page.

Photo

Applicants need two passport-size photos. These photos must be:

• Colored
• For the last three months
• Taken against a white background
• 35mm x 45mm wide
• Have a neutral expression on the applicant’s face
• Without any glasses, hats, headgear

Itinerary

An application must include a copy of the round-trip ticket or confirmation of the itinerary.

Invitation Letter

This item depends on your visa type. For example, if an applicant is about to visit a friend or family member, you must present an invitation letter. Applicants who plan to work in Nigeria must present an invitation from their employer.

Yellow fever vaccine certificate

The yellow fever vaccination must be renewed every ten years. In addition, the applicant must present an updated yellow fever vaccination certificate.

A statement of financial resources

To demonstrate sufficient financial assets, applicants must provide a certificate.

Note: As mentioned, these are the general required documents for Nigeria visas. However, each visa also has some specific documents as well.

What is CERPAC?

A Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) combines residency and work rights in Nigeria and is considered a long-term work permit. A CERPAC is valid for one year (sometimes even two years) and can be renewed. Therefore, short-term employees or expatriates will not need a CERPAC to work in Nigeria.

How to Apply for Nigeria Visas?

Each visa type has its specific steps and methods. For example, tourist and business visas can be applied via three methods, such as e-visa, visa on arrival, and embassy visa.

For a temporary work visa, applicants need several documents related to work permits.

The Bottom Line…

Nigerian government issues various types of visas to attract international tourists, skilled workers and employees, and travelers and workers from other African countries in the zone.

This article discussed Nigerian visas, their types, and some public documents in general.

If you are planning to go to Nigeria and want to learn more about its visas, check out the sidebar on the left.