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Nigeria
The information provided is designed to give a summary of the immigration requirements. It is not offered as legal advice and should not be taken as such. The firm and the contributing authors expressly disclaim all liability to any person in respect of anything done or omitted in reliance upon the contents of this information sheet. Immigration rules and requirements frequently change without notice and you should contact our Global Immigration team for further information and advice.
Who needs a visa?
Business Visa
Work Authorization
Family
Penalties
Do's and Don't
All visitors are required to have a visa to enter Nigeria except for citizens of countries belonging to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The Economic Community of West African States include:
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone & Togo.
Business visit visas for Nigeria are granted to foreign nationals who wish to attend meetings, conferences and engage in other business activities which do not constitute employment.
Applicants should apply for a business visit visa at the Nigerian Embassy/Consulate in their country of residence.
Validity:
Business visit visas are generally issued for a period up to 90 days.
Processing time:
Processing times of business visas vary according to the country where the application is filed.
Business visa applications in the UK may be processed within 5 - 10 working days from the date of submission. Processing times can take longer during busy periods of the year or the application is referred by the Nigerian authorities.
For an up-to-date list of required supporting documentation, please contact our Global Immigration Team.
Temporary Work Permit - ‘TWP'
The TWP is intended as a temporary measure to assist foreign workers entering Nigeria to perform specific duties for a pre-determined period.
The temporary assignments, which are eligible for such approval, include:
- Installation work
- Feasibility studies
- Repairs of machinery/equipment
- Auditing of accounts
- Research work and such other assignments may fall into this category
Organisations wishing to engage the services of foreign workers for short period assignments are required to apply directly to the Comptroller - General in Abuja for approval of a TWP visa.
The approval will then be sent via cablegram to the Nigerian Embassy/Consulate in the country where the foreign worker will apply for the TWP visa.
If a TWP application is submitted at the Nigerian Embassy/Consulate before the organisation have obtained approval from the Comptroller - General, the TWP application is likely to be delayed. The Nigerian Embassy/Consulate must refer to the Comptroller-General for approval before issuing the TWP visa.
Validity:
The TWP Visa is normally granted for a period up to 3 months. The TWP may be extended, upon application to the Comptroller - General of Immigration in Nigeria.
Processing time:
Processing times of TWP visas vary according to the country where the application is filed.
TWP applications in the UK may be processed within 5 - 10 working days from the date of submission providing prior approval from the Comptroller-General has been obtained.
For an up-to-date list of required supporting documentation, please contact our Global Immigration Team.
Subject to Regularisation Visa - ‘STR' visa
The STR visa is designed for people who wish to live and work in Nigeria on a long term basis. The STR visa is an employer led process.
The Nigerian organisation must submit an application to the Comptroller - General in Abuja. The organisation must confirm they have a vacancy on their expatriate quota and provide the details of the foreign worker.
The foreign worker then applies for a STR visa at the Nigerian Embassy/Consulate in the country where they have residence.
Once the STR visa is granted, the foreign worker will be given a sealed package of documents. It is essential that the package is not tampered with as the sealed envelope has to be handed to the Immigration Officer at the port of entry.
Obtaining an STR visa does not guarantee entry to Nigeria. The Immigration officer at the port of entry will decide whether to grant entry based on the STR visa and the documents in the sealed envelope.
Once entry has been granted, the foreign worker will be required to obtain a residence permit as soon they arrive in Nigeria and no later than 90 days.
Validity:
STR visa is normally issued for a period up to 90 days. When the foreign worker has entered Nigeria with the STR visa, they will be required to apply to the Comptroller - General of Immigration to regularise their stay. The foreign worker may take up the employment after the residence permit has been issued.
Processing time:
Processing times of STR visas vary according to the country where the application is filed.
STR visa applications in the UK may be processed within 5 - 10 working days from the date of submission.
For an up-to-date list of required supporting documentation, please contact our Global Immigration Team.
Dependants:
The spouse or child of a foreign worker may be included in the STR/TWP application at the Nigerian High Commission to obtain an entry visa.
Validity:
Dependant visas are issued for the same duration as the length of the foreign worker's STR/TWP visa.
Processing time:
Processing times of business visas vary according to the country where the application is filed.
Dependant visa applications in the UK may be processed within 5 - 10 working days from the date of submission.
For an up-to-date list of required supporting documentation, please contact our Global Immigration Team.
Unmarried/same sex partners:
Nigeria does not recognize unmarried or same-sex partners as dependants of the foreign worker. They will be required to qualify for a STR/TWP in their own right.
Working in Nigeria without the requisite work permission is a criminal offence. If convicted the individual may be removed for Nigeria. If convicted, the company may be fined.
Do:
- Contact us to prepare your work authorization application as soon as possible - as some applications can take 2 - 4 weeks to be processed from the date of receipt at the Nigerian authorities
- Provide all requested information and documents promptly to enable us to prepare your application efficiently
Don't:
- Open the sealed envelope if applying for a STR
- Book your flights until you have the relevant work authorisation and/or visa
- Be physically in Nigeria when the work authorisation application is submitted
- Perform any duties that may be construed as work whilst in Nigeria as a business visitor
The information provided is designed to give a summary of the immigration requirements. Please note that the information was correct at the time of writing, however the immigration rules and regulations of Federal Republic of Nigeria, like many other countries, frequently change without notice and you should contact our Global Immigration team for further information and advice.