Visa Requirements for Nigerian Citizens
Visa requirements for Nigerian citizens are applicable when crossing borders with any other country.
These rules determine whether Nigerian passport holders must apply for a visa or not.
Depending on the destination, they can vary significantly, so remember to check the information on the required documents (visa or passport) before traveling.
But what is a visa?
This is a document that allows visitors to enter another country for a specific period of time.
There are different types of visas: electronic visa, visa on arrival and embassy visa.
They may contain the same information, and the visa application process still requires travelers to present a valid passport. However, the length of stay covered varies.
To obtain a permit, an applicant must meet criteria set by the government of the country to which he or she wishes to go.
If you are from Nigeria, you are visa-free or visa-on-arrival in 35 countries and territories.
However, it is important to remember that entry into visa-free countries is permitted at the sole discretion of border agents.
Additionally, visitors must apply for a visa or work permit to engage in paid or unpaid work. Nigerian citizens can apply for different types of visas. Below you will find all the necessary information about them.
Electronic visa
Applying for an electronic visa or eVisa is the easiest way to obtain documents that allow travel to another country.
Applying online is simple: all you need is a work device with an internet connection that allows you to complete the necessary application form, a valid passport and the means to complete online payments . If you want to apply for a visa online, you need to choose your preferred destination, check the requirements and prepare all the necessary documents. Once approved, the documents will be sent to your mailing address.
While most portals accept a digital version, you should also get a printed version. Online visas are considered the most accessible.
List of destinations offering eVisas for Nigerian citizens:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Cambodia
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Madagascar
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Suriname
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Ascension Island
- Saint Helena
More than 20 destinations accept e-visas, ensuring Nigerian citizens can easily access their territory. These documents, which include the most important information about the traveler, are usually issued for 30 or 90 days. Length of stay may depend on restrictions in the selected country.
Visa on Arrival
Another type of visa is the visa on arrival, also known as VoA.
This document does not require much advance preparation as it can be easily obtained upon arrival abroad.
However, it is usually only issued for short-term trips (e.g. 14 or 30 days). One of the conditions for obtaining a visa on arrival is providing a valid passport.
To obtain a permit, travelers must arrive at the border checkpoint, fill out the necessary form, and pay any required fees. Checkpoint staff may also request information regarding hotel reservations, health insurance or proof of sufficient funds.
So remember to check carefully what the exact visa requirements are.
List of destinations offering Visa on Arrival for people of Nigeria
- Cambodia
- Comoros
- Ethiopia
- Iran
- Kenya
- Madagascar
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Rwanda
- Somalia
- Timor-Leste
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Somaliland
It is important to remember that some countries offer both online visas and visas on arrival.
If these documents are equally valid, the process of applying for an electronic visa will be much more accessible for tourists.
It’s easy, fast and practical.
Before traveling, travelers must also ensure that their chosen destination port accepts this type of visa.
Embassy visa
Embassy visas or regular visas are only issued by the official authority representing the selected country of travel, such as an Embassy or Consulate.
As of now, over 170 locations require a valid embassy visa presented by Nigerian passport holders to allow them to cross the border. Applying for an embassy visa is quite complicated as it involves issuing documents for both short-term and long-term visits, and covers leisure as well as business travel.
While some people prefer the more traditional method of applying for a visa, it is important to note that the process will take longer than online visa issuance.
List of destinations that require travelers from Nigeria to present a valid Embassy Visa upon arrival:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia and territories
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brasil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burundi
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Republic of the Congo
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Eswatini
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- North Korea
- South Korea
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Libia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom and Crown dependencies
- United States
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Abkhazia
- Kosovo
- Northern Cyprus
- Artsakh
- Taiwan
- Hong Kong
- Macau
- Faroe Islands
- Greenland
- French Guiana
- French Polynesia
- French West Indies
- Mayotte
- New Caledonia
- Réunion
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Wallis and Futuna
- Aruba
- Caribbean Netherlands
- Curaçao
- Sint Maarten
- Tokelau
- Akrotiri and Dhekelia
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Falkland Islands
- Gibraltar
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- American Samoa
- Guam
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Puerto Rico
- U.S. Virgin Island
Additionally, if Nigerian citizens require a visa, they should be aware of the strict requirements they may face.
For some destinations, providing documents (usually a passport) containing all the necessary information is not enough.
In this case, the traveler may also be asked to attend a visa interview.
Visa-free countries
There are 27 countries and seven territories in the world that do not require visas for Nigerian citizens.
List of visa-free countries for Azerbaijani citizens
- Barbados
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Chad
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Liberia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Micronesia
- Niger
- Palau
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Togo
- Vanuatu
- Palestine
- South Ossetia
- Transnistria
- Cook Islands
- Niue
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Islands
No matter what the reason for the trip is – vacation, work, or transit – a passport is considered to be a sufficient enough document, comprising all the information needed.
Special Permits
Some destinations do not necessarily require a visa to visit, but to cross their borders requires a special permit.
If you are planning to travel via British Indian Ocean Territory (special permit required), Tristan da Cunha (landing permit required £15/30 for Tristan da Cunha Island or £20 for Island Gough, Inaccessible Islands and Nightingale Islands) or South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (commissioner's approval required prior to arrival £110/160), please check for information on requirements present and prepare the necessary documents.
