Every way into Nigeria.

The single-entry tourism e-Visa is for leisure travel, sightseeing and short personal visits to Nigeria. It is issued through the fully electronic e-Visa platform launched on 1 May 2025; decisions are typically returned within about 48 hours and the manual visa-on-arrival regime was withdrawn for these travellers from 4 August 2025. The visa permits a stay of up to 30 days and is non-extendable, and it does not authorise employment. The base government fee depends on nationality and reciprocity (about USD 160 for many nationalities, e.g. United States citizens, plus a separate bank/processing charge collected on the portal). Visa-exempt ECOWAS nationals do not need this visa.

Government fee

$160

Processing time

2 days

Max stay

30 days

Validity

90 days

The transit visa permits brief entry to Nigeria for onward travel to a third country. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists transit stays of roughly 1 to 7 days. Travellers who remain strictly airside in transit through a Nigerian airport within 48 hours, without leaving the terminal, may use the visa-free transit-without-visa facility instead, which requires an onward ticket and does not allow entry into the country. The transit visa is not valid for employment. The government fee varies by nationality and is paid online.

Processing time

2 days

Max stay

7 days

Validity

30 days

The single-entry business e-Visa is for short business activity in Nigeria such as meetings, conferences, contract negotiations, trade fairs and similar non-employment engagements. It is issued through the e-Visa platform with decisions typically within about 48 hours. The Ministry of Interior describes business stays of up to 90 days, generally extendable in-country, but the visa is not valid for employment. The government fee varies by nationality and reciprocity and is paid online when applying. A corporate invitation and the host company's Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate are normally required.

Processing time

2 days

Max stay

90 days

Validity

90 days

The medical tourism visa is for foreign nationals travelling to Nigeria to receive medical treatment, and may also cover an accompanying person. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists entry validity of up to 90 days with a stay of up to 180 days for treatment. It requires evidence from a recognised Nigerian medical facility and is not valid for employment. The government fee depends on nationality and is paid through the visa portal.

Max stay

180 days

Validity

90 days

The religious tourism visa is a single-entry short-visit visa for pilgrimage and participation in religious activities and events in Nigeria. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists a stay of up to 30 days, single entry and non-extendable. It is distinct from the long-stay Cleric employment route and does not authorise paid religious employment. The government fee varies by nationality and is paid online.

Max stay

30 days

Validity

30 days

The student visa (code R7A) is for foreign nationals admitted to full-time study at an approved Nigerian educational institution. It is a temporary-residence route: after entry the student regularises stay through a student CERPAC residence permit, which carries a reduced fee of about USD 600. Validity tracks the academic programme and is renewable. A companion subtype covers the spouse of a student (R7B). The student visa does not authorise employment, and the government visa fee varies by nationality.

• Study: Full-time enrolment at the admitting institution.
• Residency: Student CERPAC residence permit, renewable; study itself is not a direct route to permanent residence.
• Family: Spouse of a student can apply under the R7B subtype.

Validity

730 days

The interns visa allows foreign nationals to undertake an internship or practical training placement with a host organisation in Nigeria. The Nigeria Immigration Service describes durations ranging from several months up to one year, with possible renewal. It requires a placement/invitation from the Nigerian host and is intended for training rather than open-market employment. The government fee varies by nationality.

• Work: Limited to the structured internship/training with the host; not open employment.
• Study: Practical training; not enrolment in degree study.

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

The Academic Exchange Programme (AEP) visa, code R8A, is for students, lecturers and researchers participating in academic exchanges between institutions under a formal agreement. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists it as single entry, valid up to 90 days. It requires evidence of the inter-institutional agreement and an invitation from the Nigerian host institution. It is for the exchange activity, not paid employment, and the government fee varies by nationality.

• Study: Academic exchange under the formal agreement.

Max stay

90 days

Validity

90 days

A temporary-residence employment route for foreign nationals working exclusively within Nigeria's designated Free Trade / Export Processing Zones. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists it as valid for two years and renewable. Employment authorisation is tied to the free-zone enterprise and the relevant Free Zone Authority approval rather than the general expatriate-quota system. As with other employment routes, in-country residence is documented through a residence permit, and the government fee varies by nationality.

• Work: Work limited to the free-zone enterprise/zone.
• Residency: Two-year renewable residence documented via CERPAC.
• Family: Dependants can accompany via dependent residence permits.

Validity

730 days

The Temporary Work Permit (TWP, code R10) authorises experts invited by Nigerian corporate bodies to provide short-term specialised services such as installation, commissioning, upgrading, maintenance or repair of equipment, training of Nigerian staff, and audits of machinery or financial records. It requires a pre-approval (Visa Authority Letter) from the Comptroller-General of Immigration before applying. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists this R10 variant as valid 30 days, single entry, extendable where applicable; a separate six-month TWP variant (R11) exists for longer specialised assignments. It does not permit family or group applications. The government fee varies by nationality.

• Work: Limited to the specialised, project-based task for the inviting company; not general employment.

Max stay

30 days

Validity

30 days

The six-month Temporary Work Permit (code R11) covers longer specialised, project-based work in Nigeria than the 30-day R10 variant. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists it as multiple entry, valid for six months and non-renewable. As with the R10, it requires corporate sponsorship and pre-approval from Immigration and is intended for technical experts rather than general employment. Longer-term employment must instead use the STR visa leading to a CERPAC residence permit. The government fee varies by nationality.

• Work: Limited to the specialised assignment for the sponsoring company.

Max stay

180 days

Validity

180 days

The Subject to Regularization (STR) visa is the entry visa for expatriates taking up employment with a Nigerian employer that holds an approved expatriate quota. It is applied for from the applicant's country of residence; after entry the holder must regularise stay by obtaining a CERPAC residence permit from the Nigeria Immigration Service, normally within 90 days. The STR application requires an employer letter requesting regularisation and accepting Immigration Responsibility, plus the sealed STR package. Consular processing usually takes about two to three weeks. Regularisation produces a residence permit valid two years, renewable in Nigeria subject to the underlying quota. The government fee varies by nationality; the CERPAC fee is separate (about USD 2,000 for employed expatriates).

• Work: Authorises employment with the sponsoring employer once regularised via CERPAC.
• Residency: Leads to a 2-year renewable CERPAC residence permit; long residence and an investor/skilled track can support permanent residence.
• Family: Dependants of the expatriate can obtain STR/CERPAC as accompanying family.

Processing time

21 days

Validity

90 days

The investor permanent-residence categories let foreign nationals who establish or operate qualifying businesses in Nigeria settle long-term, graded by enterprise scale: small (N3A), medium (N3B), large (N3C), ultra-large (N3D) and oil/gas/power sector (N3E). The Nigeria Immigration Service indicates eligibility to apply for citizenship after meeting set criteria. Requirements include business registration, evidence of investment capital, police clearance and medical clearance. Specific capital thresholds per band are not published as a single figure on the official pages and are set administratively, so the minimum investment is left unspecified here. The government fee varies by category and nationality.

• Work: Permits operation of the qualifying business; permanent-residence status.
• Study: Residence permits study.
• Residency: This is permanent residence; citizenship may be sought after meeting statutory criteria.
• Family: Dependants covered under the related spouse/dependant permanent-residence subtypes.

A multiple-entry business visa for high-profile executives and investors who travel frequently to Nigeria. The Nigeria Immigration Service describes it as granted to business travellers who invest at least USD 250,000, with validity of up to five years (one published variant is valid one year, multiple entry). It is intended to ease repeated short business visits rather than to authorise local employment or residence. The exact government fee is set by nationality and reciprocity and is collected on the visa portal. Each entry is a short business stay, not continuous residence.

Validity

1,825 days

Min. investment

$250,000,000

The retirement permanent-residence categories cover foreign nationals who wish to retire and reside in Nigeria, whether already living in the country (N5A) or relocating from abroad (N5B). The Nigeria Immigration Service lists them among permanent-residence subtypes; eligibility is generally linked to retirement age (CERPAC guidance references retirees aged 65 and over) and proof of sufficient retirement income or means. These categories do not permit employment unless otherwise specified. Requirements include proof of pension/income, police clearance and medical clearance.

• Study: Residence permits study.
• Residency: Permanent residence for retirees.
• Family: A spouse may accompany via the related spouse/dependant subtypes.

The spouse permanent-residence category (code N1A) is for foreign nationals legally married to a Nigerian citizen, allowing long-term settlement on the basis of the marriage. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists it among permanent-residence subtypes; the CERPAC residence permit for a spouse of a Nigerian citizen is issued gratis (free). The category itself does not automatically grant the right to employment unless otherwise specified. Requirements include proof of the marriage, police clearance and medical clearance.

• Study: Residence permits study.
• Residency: Permanent residence; spouses of citizens may pursue citizenship by registration under statutory criteria.
• Family: Built around the spousal relationship; children may qualify under dependant subtypes.

The spouses-and-dependants permanent-residence categories (codes N6A to N6D) let the spouse and dependent family members of a qualifying resident (such as an investor or highly skilled immigrant) settle in Nigeria. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists them among the permanent-residence subtypes; these dependant categories generally do not permit employment unless otherwise specified. In-country residence is documented through a dependent CERPAC. Requirements include evidence of the family relationship to the principal, police clearance and medical clearance.

• Study: Residence permits study.
• Residency: Permanent residence as a dependant of the principal.
• Family: Specifically for spouse and dependent family members of the principal resident.

This permanent-residence category (codes N2A/N2B) is for persons who were Nigerian by birth but formally renounced their Nigerian citizenship and now hold another nationality, allowing them to settle in Nigeria on the basis of their Nigerian origin. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists it among the permanent-residence subtypes. A related short-visit subtype (Returning Nigerian-Born Passport Holders) covers brief visits of up to 30 days. Requirements include proof of former Nigerian citizenship/birth, police clearance and medical clearance.

• Work: Permanent-residence status on the basis of Nigerian origin; work rights as a permanent resident.
• Study: Residence permits study.
• Residency: Permanent residence; persons of Nigerian origin may pursue citizenship reacquisition under statutory criteria.
• Family: Dependants covered under related spouse/dependant subtypes.

The Highly Skilled Immigrant permanent-residence category (code N4A) is for professionals with specialised skills or advanced qualifications whom Nigeria seeks to attract for long-term settlement. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists it among the permanent-residence subtypes, with onward eligibility to seek citizenship after meeting set criteria. Requirements include proof of qualifications and experience, police clearance and medical clearance. The government fee varies by nationality.

• Work: Permanent-residence status with work rights for highly skilled professionals.
• Study: Residence permits study.
• Residency: This is permanent residence; citizenship may be sought after meeting statutory criteria.
• Family: Dependants covered under the related spouse/dependant permanent-residence subtypes.

The cleric employment route is a temporary-residence category for foreign clerics and religious workers engaged in long-term religious employment with a recognised Nigerian religious organisation. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists it as valid two years and renewable. It is distinct from the short-stay Cleric and Religious Tourism visit visas, which cover services, seminars or pilgrimage of up to about 90 or 30 days. In-country stay is documented through a CERPAC residence permit, and the government fee varies by nationality.

• Work: Religious employment with the sponsoring organisation.
• Residency: Two-year renewable residence via CERPAC.
• Family: Dependants can accompany via dependent residence permits.

Validity

730 days

The journalist visa is a short-visit visa enabling foreign media personnel to undertake reporting and media coverage in Nigeria. The Nigeria Immigration Service lists validity of up to 90 days and notes it requires clearance from the federal Ministry of Information. It is for accredited media work during the visit rather than long-term employment, and the government fee varies by nationality.

Max stay

90 days

Validity

90 days

The Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) is the residence permit that regularises the stay of foreign nationals living, working or studying in Nigeria for one year or more, and of dependants of residents and citizens. It is obtained after entry on an STR visa (employment), student or dependent route. The standard fee for employed expatriates was raised to USD 2,000 per year; students pay about USD 600 and foreign spouses of Nigerian citizens are exempt (gratis). The permit is valid for up to two years subject to the validity of the underlying expatriate quota, and renewable. Applications are now filed through the digital e-CERPAC platform with biometrics captured at an Immigration office.

• Work: Permits the approved activity stated in the permit (e.g. employment under quota).
• Study: Student CERPAC supports enrolled full-time study.
• Residency: Long-term renewable residence; an onward permanent-residence category may apply for qualifying skilled, investor, spouse or retiree applicants.
• Family: Dependants of the holder can obtain dependent CERPAC; spouses of Nigerian citizens are issued gratis.

Government fee

$2,000

Validity

730 days