Do infants need Visa to Nigeria?

infants visa to Nigeria

A lot of travel plans are in the works for this coming festive season and so, if you are yet to plan yours, the earlier you start the better. This is especially with regard to the fact that early bookings will always hand you cheaper travel options compared to booking your flight on the big day. Travelling with young ones such as infants or children below the age of five years can be a big nightmare. There are usually serious logistical challenges when it comes to travelling with a baby such as making a choice on whether to go for a flight package for the whole family and what type of Visa your child will need. On this premise, the question has always been,

Do babies need travel Visas? Also, are there Nigerian Visa for infants and where can you get them?

Visa processing for infants follow through almost similar procedures as is with adult Visas. However, a few variations usually exist. In the first place, finding a visa for your baby is usually treated as a special case and as such, handled with care. You have to provide solid proof that the baby you want to travel with is indeed yours.

With cases of child trafficking often getting rampant during festive seasons, the noose around rules and regulations regarding Visa processing for kids usually gets tightened.  It is just one of the security issues immigration offices are taking seriously. The next question regarding baby Visa is where you should go to if you need one. Well, if you reside in Houston, Texas and are planning a trip to Nigeria with your baby, you can seek help from experts at immigration offices in the U.S. The good news is that these services can nowadays be accessed online, thanks to the advent of the internet which has made travelling way faster and easier.  If not the immigration, the question of where you can get Nigerian Visa for your baby should see you visit the Nigerian Consular offices in the United States. Note that much of the processing can be done online and in case your baby’s as well as your physical presence is needed, which is usually the case because you have to present hard copies of the documents in person, Nigerian Consular offices are always open from Mondays to Thursdays.

To this end, the question of as to whether infants need Visa to Nigeria is definitely positive. With this demystified; the next issue which each and every parent travelling to Nigeria with an infant need to discern is what it takes to get a newborn visa. In other words, what do you need to present at the offices of Nigerian consular before your application for baby travel visa can be approved? Well, this is where logistical challenges usually do set in.

But they are things you can deal with accordingly based on what immigration law spells on travelling with babies. To help you get started, this post takes you through some crucial elements regarding newborn travel documents, so take a look below for details.

Fundamentals about Nigerian infant visas

Well, to get a newborn visa to Nigeria, here are the things you need to do;

  • You will be required to obtain a signed and original passport for your baby. The passport must be valid for at least six months or beyond the duration within which you and your baby will be staying in Nigeria. Ensure that the passport has at least one blank page because it is where the official Nigerian Visa stamp will be placed.
  • Two copies of infant visa application form should also be availed. Note that the Nigerian embassy also accepts online application of visa for infants. However, two printed copies will be required even if you apply online.
  • You will also be required to present a letter of consent which must be signed by both parents. On the consent letters, the signatures of both the parents should match with those which are appended on the passports. The signatures must also match with the parent’s signatures on the infant’s birth certificate. However, in a case where the custody of the child is in the hands of one parent, a legal document confirming this must be provided. In this case, a consent letter of single parent is needed.
  • Further, the embassy will ask you to avail birth certificate of the infant. This document can be present physically at the Nigerian embassy or uploaded on the embassy’s visa application website.

Other things to note about visa application for infants;

  • You are supposed to choose a consulate where you will then send the application documents. This is usually the location you will have selected on the infant visa application form.
  • If you want to make visa processing fee payments using credit card, you should make sure to attach Google payment receipt on your application form. In case you will have made payment using money order, you will be required to confirm this by attaching a copy of the same.

Other requirements include;

  • Two most recent and colored passport sized photographs of your baby will be needed when applying for Nigerian Visa for infants. The passport sized photographs should be taken on a light background showing front view of the baby.
  • Note that you will be required to also present a letter of invitation to Nigeria. This could be from a sponsor or relative. The letter should also indicate the duration during which you will be staying in Nigeria, the location you are going to and contact details. In case of hotel reservations, copies of the same will be needed.
  • You will also be asked to present soft copies of your flight documents and the baby’s air ticket is a must.

Further, you should make sure to carry with you to the embassy, internal certificate of vaccination against yellow fever. It usually takes up to ten business days or less before you can be issued with your baby’s visa.

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