Applying for a Nigerian Tourist Visa

Want to make the trip to Nigeria? Well, unless you are from West Africa (with a valid ECOWAS passport), or you are from a country with special visa waiver agreements with Nigeria, you will require a visa to enter Nigeria.

Applying for a Nigerian visa is easy and straightforward, and you are almost certainly guaranteed to get an entry visa if you meet the basic requirements.

Nigeria has embassies and high commissions in most countries where you are expected to process your visa application.

It is worthy of note that you must have permanent residence status in the processing country, otherwise your application will not be processed. Unless, of course, you are getting a Nigerian Visa on Arrival (VoA).

Nigerian Visa Application

Before you apply for a Nigerian visa, you need to first and foremost be aware of the visa application requirements (which are not all that hard to meet).

For instance, you will need to have a passport (travel document) that must not expire in the next six months. You will need to show proof that you have enough funds to cover for your trip (bank statement).

You will also need to have recent passport photos (white background) with your eyes facing forward and without covering your head.

Other than your own (applicant’s) documents, your ‘host’ documents are also required.

You are required to have a ‘host‘ in Nigeria who will provide you with a letter of invitation, the host’s valid passport data page and/or a company incorporation document (CAC certificate of business registration).

At Destinali, since our mission is to help tourist and business travelers easily and economically visit Nigeria, we play host to many visitors by helping them with invitation to Nigeria and host documents.

Requirements for Nigeria Tourist/Visitor Visa

Here are the requirements/documents needed before you can get a Nigerian tourist/visitor visa:

1. International passport valid for at least 6 months (passport must not expire in the next six months)
2. Two recent passport sized photographs
3. Bank statement (showing proof of sufficient funds)
4. A Letter of Invitation from a host (individual or company) in Nigeria accepting immigration responsibility
5. Hotel reservation confirmation, or address of host in Nigeria (stated in the letter of invitation)/evidence of proper accommodation arrangement
6. Valid flight itinerary with return ticket
7. Completed online visa application form
8. Nigeria Immigration Service Visa Payment Receipt and Visa Acknowledgement Receipt

You will need to have the required documents (items 1 to 6) before filling out the online visa application on the Nigerian Immigration portal.

The host letter of invitation must come with the passport data page (valid Nigerian passport) and/or company incorporation document.

Here is a sample letter of invitation to Nigeria from Destinali:

Having these host documents alongside your own documents mean you qualify to apply for and get a Nigerian visa.

How to Apply for a Nigerian Tourist (Visitor) Visa

If you meet/have the requirements (listed above), you may now proceed with applying for a Nigerian visa online on the official Nigerian immigration portal.

To do this:

1. Visit the Nigerian Immigration visa application portal and fill out a fresh application. Be sure to download and print out the application form after completion.
2. Pay the visa fees. After completing the online visa application, proceed with payment of applicable visa fees online on the application portal. Here is a list of Nigerian visa fees for all countries.
3. Affix 2 passport sized photographs to completed Visa Form (IMM22), along with the other requirements and submit at the Nigerian embassy, consulate or high commission in your country of residence. Again, here are the embassies/consulates of Nigeria in all countries with their addresses and contacts.

Applications can be submitted:

• Via Post to the Embassy/High Commission/Consulate of Nigeria where applicant is Resident, or
• In person at the Embassy/High Commission/Consulate of Nigeria where applicant is Resident.

In most cases, you will be invited for a visa interview after submitting your application. It is advisable to have all documents intact before submitting visa application.

Processing Duration

The average processing duration (turn around time) for a Nigerian tourist (visitor) visa at the embassy is two (2) weeks.

Normally, all things being equal, it takes within 5 working days and up to 3 weeks to process a Nigerian tourist visa, depending on the embassy, high commission or consulate you are applying from.

How Long is a Nigerian Tourist (Visitor) Visa Valid?

The maximum validity period for a Nigerian tourist visa is 90 days (3 months).

Nigerian Visa Fees

The Nigerian visa fees vary depending on your country (nationality). There is also an additional $20 processing fee.

You can find the full list of official Nigerian visa fees for all countries here.