Nigerian Embassy in South Africa: Address, Contact and Visa Application

Want to visit the Nigerian Embassy in South Africa? Here are the address of the Consulate of Nigeria in Johannesburg and the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, their phone numbers, website, and how you can apply for a Nigerian visa.

The Consulate of Nigeria, Johannesburg

16, Rivonia Road
Illovo
P. O. Box 1014
Saxonwold 2132
Johannesburg
South Africa

The Nigerian High Commission, Pretoria

971 Francis Baard St, Arcadia,
Pretoria, 0007,
South Africa
Tel: + (27-12) 342-0808
Fax: + (27-12) 3420718

You can process a Nigerian visa in either of the embassies (Johannesburg or Pretoria), depending on the proximity to your location or your preference.

Getting a Nigerian Visa in South Africa

South African citizens require a visa to enter Nigeria. An entry visa to Nigeria is valid for 90 days (3 months). Depending on the purpose of your visit, you can get either a business visa or a tourist visa at the embassy, or a Nigerian visa on arrival.

Before you begin the process of Nigerian visa application, it is important to know the requirements first, arrange all the documents and make sure everything is in place before submitting an application.

If you submit a visa application without the requisite documents, your application will not be approved. Most importantly, you must have a ‘host’ in Nigeria who will send you a letter of invitation with valid Nigerian passport or CAC certificate.

Requirements for Nigerian Tourist/Visitor Visa (South Africa)

To successfully apply for a Nigerian tourist/visitor visa in South Africa (Johannesburg or Pretoria), you must have the following requirements:

Documents to be Provided by the Applicant (Visitor)

1. Passport valid for at least 6 months with 2 blank visa pages for endorsement.
2. Two recent passport photographs (coloured, white background)
3. Evidence of sufficient funds – last three months’ bank statement or a summary statement stamped by the bank with a minimum closing balance of R10,000.
4. Photocopy of the applicant’s passport data page
5. Photo copy of the applicant’s ID (if South African)
6. Non-South African passport holders must provide a copy of their legal residence permit or South African visa
7. Copy of previous Nigerian visa (if applicable)
8. Address of host in Nigeria or Evidence of hotel reservation (should be stated in the letter of invitation)
9. Flight itinerary (not confirmed flight)
10. Letter from your employer in South Africa confirming your employment, with a copy of the company’s registration document. If self-employed, you may sign your own letter and provide CIPC registration number where possible. The letter should be addressed to your preferred Nigerian embassy for visa application (Johannesburg or Pretoria).

Documents to be Provided by the Host in Nigeria

1. Letter of Invitation from your host in Nigeria (individual, company or organisation).

• The letter of invitation must have the address and phone number of the writer. If it is an organisation/company inviting you, the letter must be written on the company’s letter head.
• The name of the signatory on the invitation letter must be exactly as it appears on that person’s own Passport, without any abbreviations.
• Invitation letters from an organisation must be accompanied with the company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Registration Certificate in Nigeria. A copy of the signatory’s passport data page should also be attached.

Depending on where you’re submitting your visa application, the invitation letter must be addressed as follows:

Nigerian High Commission, Pretoria
971, Francis Baard Street,
Pretoria,
South Africa.

OR:

Consulate General of Nigeria
16, Rivonia Road, Illovo,
Johannesburg,
South Africa.

Requirements for Nigerian Business Visa in South Africa

The requirements for getting a Nigerian business visa in South Africa are similar to those for a tourist visa (discussed above).

• Passport valid for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages for endorsement.
• Two recent passport photographs (white background, 35/40mm)
• Evidence of sufficient funds
• Letter of Introduction
• Flight return ticket
• Address of host in Nigeria or Evidence of hotel reservation.
• Invitation letter from host in Nigeria.

How to Apply for a Nigerian Visa in South Africa

If you meet/have the requirements (listed above for either tourist or business visa), you may now proceed with the application proper.

You may get a letter of invitation (plus host documents) from us, or let us do the entire visa processing for you, so you can have enough time to run other important things.

However, if you will like to apply on your own, follow the process below:

1. Fill the online application form on the Nigerian Immigration website and pay the applicable visa fee of $58 (about R815) plus a $20 processing fee. After completion of application, print out the completed visa form and sign on it.
2. Also print out a copy each of the visa payment receipt and acknowledgement slip.
3. Affix 2 passport sized photographs to completed Visa Form IMM22, along with the other requirements (letter of invitation, reservation confirmation, etc.) and submit at any of the following Nigerian Embassy/Consulate:

Nigerian High Commission, Pretoria
971, Francis Baard Street,
Pretoria,
South Africa.

OR:

Consulate General of Nigeria
16, Rivonia Road, Illovo,
Johannesburg,
South Africa.

Nigerian Visa Fees

Nigerian visa fee for South African passport holders is 58 USD, plus a processing fee of 20 USD, totaling 78 USD. Here is a full list of Nigerian visa fees for other nationalities.

Processing Duration/Turnaround Time

Normally, it takes between 3 to 5 working from the receipt of your application. However, the processing period may take up to 10 to 14 days, or even more as the case may be.

What if you are denied a visa at the Nigerian embassy in South Africa?

To be honest, not all visa applications are granted. If you are denied a visa, it means there may be something wrong with the application process or documentation. Even if there is nothing wrong really, it is the exclusive right of the High Commission to either grant or deny you a visa.

Normally when your visa application is rejected, the embassy may give you reasons for the rejection so you can put things right and reapply if you want.

It is strongly advised that you must be of good behavior, confident and formally dressed when you go for document submission or visa interview.

But what if you are still denied a visa at the embassy? Or you outright don’t want to apply for a visa at the embassy for exigent reasons? Well, there is an option which could be the best solution for you.

Alternative Visa Option: Nigerian Visa on Arrival

As the name implies, the Nigerian Visa on Arrival (VoA) program is designed so you can apply, get an approval letter which will qualify you to travel and get the visa at the port of entry (airport) in Nigeria.

This means you are not required to make any visit or submit any documents to the Nigerian Embassy in South Africa. The Nigerian visa on arrival application and approval process is done entirely online and takes only two business days!

Here is what it takes to successfully get a Nigerian visa on arrival (VoA):

1. A letter of self-introduction/application
2. Flight itinerary (with a valid return ticket)
3. Passport data page of applicant (with at least 6 months validity)
4. Two recent passport photographs
5. Duly completed online visa on arrival application form
6. Online visa payment receipt
7. An Invitation Letter from a registered/incorporated company or organization in Nigeria
8. CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) certificate (business registration/incorporation document) from the host company in Nigeria.

On successful application, a letter of approval must be obtained from the Nigeria Immigration Service before you can qualify to travel and get a visa at the port of entry (airport) in Nigeria.

Summary

There are lots of options when it comes to getting a Nigerian visa. If you comply with the requirements strictly, your chances of getting a visa are high. Alternatively, a visa on arrival (VoA) may be a faster and even better option for you.

So, what will you need help with? Letter of Invitation or Visa on Arrival?