Nigeria Entry and Travel Requirements
Nigeria entry requirements define all the rules that travelers wishing to visit Nigeria must follow for easy entry. These requirements specify documents that must be obtained before the planned trip. Among the most necessary and mandatory documents are a valid passport and Nigerian visa. The passport that a person must have to travel to Nigeria cannot expire at least 6 months from the intended date of arrival in the country.
Nigeria's visa policy outlines the types of visas required for certain travelers based on their nationality, desired length of stay in Nigeria, and reason for travel. Currently, about 60 different nationalities do not require a visa to enter Nigeria for various lengths of stay. Citizens of most African countries can benefit from unlimited visa exemption for Nigeria under certain free movement agreements.
Visitors from approximately 120 countries can also speed up the visa application process by applying for an e-Visa. This alternative will allow them to avoid having to complete burdensome administrative procedures upon arrival in Nigeria. Instead, they can handle all the formalities online and go to the nearest Nigerian embassy just to get the approved e-Visa. Additionally, there are approximately 45 different countries whose citizens must apply for a regular visa upon arrival at the embassy, regardless of the reason for travel.
Currently, Nigeria does not impose a visa ban on any country in the world.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nigerian government has also imposed additional travel restrictions, such as mandatory online registration of health declarations before departure. Additionally, depending on their vaccination status, travelers may be required to meet other entry requirements, such as providing a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test result.
Read on to learn more about current entry and travel requirements to Nigeria. However, please note that these regulations are subject to change at short notice.
Who can enter Nigeria?
Nigeria welcomes vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Depending on vaccination status, some entry requirements may vary.
Document Checklist for Entry into Nigeria
- valid passport
- Vaccination certificate (only if vaccinated)
- Negative PCR test result (only if not vaccinated)
- Nigerian visa
- online health declaration before departure
- Travel insurance (optional)
Testing, Vaccination, and Quarantine Requirements
Request an inspection
Passengers arriving fully vaccinated no longer need to take a PCR test. They are also not required to take a test after arrival.
Unvaccinated or fully vaccinated passengers must provide a PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure. The test certificate must be uploaded through the online travel portal.
Proof of a negative test result can be verified at any time during the entire trip. Only PCR testing is accepted. Visitors must also present a copy of their travel permit. This document will be issued after completing the health declaration before departure.
Partially unvaccinated or unvaccinated travelers will also need to register and pay for another PCR test that must be taken on the 2nd day after their arrival and another test done on day 7. Proof of registration for testing through the Nigeria international travel portal will be verified. arrive.
Vaccination required
Visitors to Nigeria do not need to be vaccinated against Covid-19. However, people with Covid vaccination certificates will not need to present a negative PCR test result nor will they need to quarantine after arrival.
Vaccines approved by the Nigerian government for international travel:
- Modern
- Jansen
- Astra Zeneca
- Pfizer
Important:
To be recognized as fully vaccinated against Covid-19, at least 14 days must have passed after receiving the second dose of vaccine.
Quarantine required
Unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated travelers must undergo 7 days of self-isolation upon arrival in Nigeria until they receive a negative Covid-19 test result on the 7th day of their stay.
Traveling from Nigeria
Nigerian authorities have not yet implemented any specific exit conditions. However, before leaving Nigeria, travelers should familiarize themselves with the entry regulations applicable to their next destination country, including testing, vaccination and visa requirements.
Traveling to Nigeria
When traveling to Nigeria, you should still take precautions as the country continues to record new positive cases of coronavirus. Depending on your vaccination status, you may need to meet different entry requirements. Fully vaccinated incoming travelers do not need a negative PCR test to enter Nigeria. They are also not required to take a Covid-19 test upon arrival.
Passengers who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated are still required to take a PCR test 48 hours before departure and a PCR test after arrival on days 2 and 7 at their own expense. Additionally, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, must declare their health.
Also, remember to check the visa requirements for your nationality and apply for a Nigerian visa if necessary.
Entry Rules for Children
From April 2022, children aged 17 and under will no longer be required to take a PCR test before departure or upon arrival.
All travelers, regardless of age, including children, must complete an online health declaration before boarding.
Parents or legal guardians must also handle all visa procedures on behalf of the minor children traveling with them.
Transit through Nigeria
All passengers transiting through Nigeria should remember to register online and complete a health declaration before boarding. Declaration is mandatory for all transit passengers, regardless of their vaccination status, including travelers who do not leave the airport transit area or travelers who make a stopover (check-in). scene).
Additionally, all travelers should check the applicable requirements for their final destination country, for example visa requirements.
Some airlines may also have imposed their own transit rules to minimize the risk of coronavirus. Please contact your airline directly for more specific information.
Visa requirements
Visa-free countries
Nigeria's immigration policy stipulates that citizens of certain countries have visa-free access to Nigeria. Their permitted length of stay may vary depending on nationality.
Visa-exempt travelers including citizens of most African countries can benefit from unlimited freedom of movement.
Additionally, holders of official or diplomatic passports from China, South Africa, Brazil and Namibia can also travel to Nigeria without a visa.
Chinese passport holders can stay in Nigeria for up to 30 days without a visa. In return, holders of expired Nigerian passports can enjoy visa exemption until they renew their passport.
The following list includes all visa-free countries whose citizens can visit Nigeria without a visa:
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Chad
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Liberia
- Mali
- Niger
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
Electronic visa for Nigeria
Nigeria e-Visa is an online visa alternative that covers travel, business and tourism purposes. This system was introduced by the Nigerian authorities to speed up the visa process for applicants from certain countries.
There are three types of Nigerian e-visas which, depending on the traveler's needs, can be issued as single or multiple entry visas.
Qualified applicants simply fill out the short online form, pay the processing fee, and receive e-Visa pre-approval via email. As a final step, the applicant must arrange a visit to the embassy and receive the e-visa in person.
Nigerian Embassy or Consular Visa
Currently, citizens of about 45 countries are required to have an embassy or consular visa to travel to Nigeria, regardless of the expected length of stay or the reason for their trip to Nigeria.
Depending on the nationality of the visitor and the reason for the trip, there are different types of visas. Travelers must make an appointment at the consulate or embassy to begin the visa application process. It may be necessary to provide some supporting documents and pay a service fee.
Since traditional visa processing can take up to several weeks, one should apply for a visa before their planned trip to Nigeria.
The full list of countries requiring an embassy or consulate visa is as follows:
- Aland Islands
- American Samoa
- Anguilla
- Antarctica
- Aruba
- Bermuda
- Bonaire
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Christmas Island
- Cocos Islands
- Cook Islands
- Curacao
- Falkland Islands
- Faroe Islands
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- Gibraltar
- Greenland
- Guadeloupe
- Guam
- Guernsey
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
- Martinique
- Mayotte
- Montserrat
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Pitcairn Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Reunion
- Saint Barthelemy
- Saint Helena
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Sint Maarten
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Tokelau
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- United Kingdom
- United States Virgin Islands
- Wallis and Futuna
Visa on Arrival
There are about 20 countries whose citizens are allowed to apply for a visa upon arrival in Nigeria at one of the border crossings. Eligible countries include most African countries.
VoA can be issued for stays of up to 90 days for business, transit or tourism purposes.
Visitors must wait in line upon entry and follow all visa procedures, including completing certain documents and paying visa fees.
Travelers who qualify for an e-visa are encouraged to opt for an online visa application to save much of the time they need to spend while waiting for the VoA.
Health Declaration
All travelers must register through the NITP and complete an online health declaration through the online portal. All data provided, including contact details, residential address, travel details and health information, must be accurate and up to date. If there is a change in a tourist's health since the time of declaration, they must notify the health authority upon entry.
Travel Insurance
Nigerian authorities do not yet require foreign visitors to purchase travel or medical insurance. However, every traveler should consider purchasing one that will cover any potential costs in case unexpected situations arise during the trip, such as theft of personal belongings, trip cancellation due to emergency, etc.
So, before traveling to Nigeria, make sure you have purchased travel insurance. It is recommended that this plan also cover Covid-19 treatment costs.
