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  If you are a foreign national (i.e. a non-Nigerian) looking to visit Nigeria for business or as a tourist, you’ll need a Nigerian visa to do so. You may be wondering what items you’ll need to present in order to obtain one. This article lays them all out. But first, let’s have a look at what a Nigerian visa actually is.
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What is the Nigerian Visa?

The Nigerian visa is a document issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria, through its immigration service (the Nigerian Immigration Service), which foreign nationals will need in order to visit Nigeria for business or tourism. It can be obtained either at the Nigerian Embassy in the traveller’s home country or on arrival in Nigeria (this option is available to individuals who meet specific requirements).

What You Will Need to Apply for a Nigerian Visa

The set of items you will need in order to apply for a Nigerian visa will depend on what you’re visiting the country for. There are two types of visas that can be applied for: the tourist or travel visa, and the business visa.

Requirements for Getting a Tourist Visa

  • Passport valid for a minimum of 6 months
  • Completed visa application form
  • 2 recent passport-sized photographs
  • Letter of invitation from a company or host in Nigeria accepting immigration responsibility
  • Evidence of sufficient funds
  • Nigeria Immigration Service Visa Payment Receipt and Visa Acknowledgement Receipt

Photo Requirements

Your photograph should be of high quality and accurately represent your true appearance. It should have been captured within the past six months, with a dimension of  35×45 mm or 350×450 px. And the background of the photograph should be white. 

Requirements for Getting a Business Visa

A Nigerian Business Visa may either be a Temporary Work Permit or one Subject to Regularization

Temporary Work Permit

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months
  • A printed copy of the completed application form for the visitors’ pass
  • Two recent passport-size photographs
  • A copy of the Letter of Approval from the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service
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Subject to Regularization

  • Passport valid for at least 6 months
  • Completed visa form in quadruplicate with four recent passport photographs
  • Four copies of credentials, certificates and curriculum vitae, all vetted by a relevant official of the Nigerian High Commission/Embassy (English Certified translated copy where applicable)
  • Four copies of the letter of Expatriate Quota Approval from the Ministry of Interior
  • Four copies of an Offer Letter of Employment
  • Four copies of your Offer Letter of Acceptance of employment, signed by the expatriate
  • Nigeria Immigration Service Visa Payment Receipt and Visa Acknowledgement Receipt

How to Apply for a Nigerian Visa

You can take the following steps to apply for a Nigerian visa in your home country:
  • Visit the Nigerian Immigration Portal’s home page
  • Click on the appropriate application form (Entry Visa/Free Zone Application Form)
  • Fill out the application form, and check the check box which says ‘I Accept Full Responsibility for the Information Provided in this Form’
  • Click on the ‘Submit Application button; this will enable you to view the ‘Applicant details page’
  • Click on ‘Proceed to Online Payment’
  • Select payment currency; if the processing country you have selected is one other than Nigeria, you should click on ‘Pay in Dollars’; you will be redirected to a payment platform to make your payment in US Dollars
  • Visit the Nigerian embassy in your home country with your visa payment receipt, passport and other documents on the interview date assigned to you; note that cash payments will not be allowed
  • NB: You can reschedule your interview date by sending your Application ID, Reference Number, and your proposed date to the Nigeria Immigration Service’s support email address, nis-support@newworksolution.com.
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Visa on Arrival

You can take advantage of the Nigeria Immigration Service’s Visa on Arrival Process if you are:
  • A frequently travelled business person of international repute/High Net-Worth Investor with business interest in Nigeria, or
  • A citizen of an African country and holder of the African Union Laissez-Passer
If you would like to begin the process of applying for a Nigerian visa, you can do so HERE. Featured Image Source: Autojosh
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This article was first published on 11th July 2023

ikenna-nwachukwu

Ikenna Nwachukwu holds a bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He loves to look at the world through multiple lenses- economic, political, religious and philosophical- and to write about what he observes in a witty, yet reflective style.

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