The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) offers a wide range of visas suitable for purposes ranging from short visit, tourism, temporary residence, study, work to permanent residence, investment and retirement. Depending on your intended purpose in Nigeria, there is a wide range of visa types/classes to suit your needs.

Who Needs a Visa to Enter Nigeria?

All foreign Nationals except citizens of ECOWAS Member States, Cameroonians, Chadians and other countries with which Nigeria has entered into visa abolition/waiver agreements. You’ll require a visa to enter Nigeria UNLESS:

• F1A: You are a citizen of an ECOWAS member state (Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger Republic, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo).
• F1B: You are from a country that has Visa Abolition Agreement with Nigeria – (Cameroon, Chad).
• F1C: You have a visa waiver or hold a travel document from a major international organization – ECOWAS, African Union (AU), The United Nations (UN), The African Development Bank (AfDB).
• F1D: You are a Diplomatic or Official passport holder from a country that has Reciprocity Visa Waiver Agreement with Nigeria. These include Kenya (Diplomatic Passport only), Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela, China, Singapore.

Note that Standard or Regular passport holders from the above F1D countries will require a visa to enter Nigeria. Only Diplomatic and Official passport holders can enter visa-free.

Nigeria Visa Types and Requirements

Here are the specific application requirements for some of the most popular Nigeria visa types:

• International passport valid for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages for endorsement
• Invitation letter from family/friend in Nigeria attached with copy of Nigerian Passport data page or copy of residence permit
• Evidence of sufficient funds
• Evidence of hotel reservation/proof of accommodation or host address in Nigeria
• Two recent passport photos (white background)

• Passport valid for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages for endorsement
• Two (2) recent passport sized photographs on white background
• Round trip flight itinerary
• Evidence of Sufficient funds
• Evidence of hotel reservation/proof of accommodation or host address in Nigeria

• Passport valid for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages for endorsement
• Recent passport photos
• Evidence of sufficient funds
• Letter of self-introduction/application
• Round trip flight itinerary
• Evidence of hotel reservation/proof of accommodation or host address in Nigeria
• Letter of invitation from a host/company in Nigeria
• CAC certificate of host company in Nigeria

• International passport valid for at least 6 months with least 2 blank passport pages for endorsement
• Two recent passport sized photographs (white background)
• Round trip flight itinerary
• Evidence of sufficient funds
• Evidence of hotel reservation/host address in Nigeria
• Letter of invitation from a host/company in Nigeria
• CAC certificate of host company in Nigeria

For other Nigeria visa types and requirements, check here.

Generally, before you apply for any Nigerian visa, you’ll need to first get the visa requirements ready. Once you’re sure of the type of visa you need and have gathered the required documents, you can then start the visa application process.

You can do the visa application in either of two ways:

• Assisted Application
• Self-Application

Assisted Nigeria Visa Application

If you want us to give you a helping hand with your Nigeria visa application, then this is the right option for you.

With this option, you are only required to send us your passport data page and pay a processing fee. We will provide other required documents and file your application online on the Nigeria Immigration portal.

Once we’ve filed your online application, we will then send you the applicable required documents (letter of invitation, host passport copy, round trip flight itinerary, evidence of accommodation/hotel reservation in Nigeria, etc.) together with your online application via email within two business days.

Once you receive the documents, you’ll then pay the immigration fee, print out the documents and submit them to the Nigeria Embassy or Visa Processing Centre in your resident country to obtain the visa.

Here’s exactly how the Assisted Nigeria Visa Application process works:

• Place your order for Assisted Nigeria visa processing here.
• Download the visa application form (sent to you via email after placing your order), fill and send back to us via email, together with your passport data page and passport photo.
• We’ll vet, make corrections and submit your application online on the immigration portal.
• You’ll then receive the submitted online application together with other visa requirements (letter of invitation, host passport copy, round-trip flight itinerary, evidence of accommodation/hotel reservation, and CAC certificate of host company where applicable).
• Pay the immigration fee and make a print-out of all documents (including the payment receipt and acknowledgement slip). You can find the Nigeria visa fees for all countries here.
• Book your visa appointment and proceed to the nearest Nigeria embassy or Visa Processing Centre in your country of residence and obtain your visa.

That’s all. Once you receive your visa, you can then book your flight and accommodation and travel to Nigeria.

Apply for Nigeria Visa by Yourself (Self-Application)

Once you’ve decided on the type of Nigeria visa you want to obtain, you can submit the visa application entirely on your own. To do this:

• Be sure you have all the required documents ready.
• Visit the Nigeria Immigration portal to start your application and pay the visa fee.
• Make a printout/copies of all documents (including the payment receipt and acknowledgement slip).
• Book your visa appointment and proceed to the nearest Nigeria embassy or Visa Processing Centre in your country of residence and obtain your visa.

In some countries (like Canada for instance), you can mail the documents via post and your visa will be mailed back to you with your documents when approved. In most countries though, you’re required to visit the embassy in person for interview and visa issuance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Nigeria Visa Application