About Nigeria
Nigeria is Africas highest populated country and seventh most populous in the world. It has a coastline and is the largest oil producing country in Africa. Since 2014, it has the largest economy in Africa. With such an economy, Nigeria is a hotbed of investment. This is how you secure a visa to Nigeria.
Business Visa Eligibility
Business visas to Nigeria are available to citizens from countries worldwide apart from ECOWAS citizens members who have free entry. Members of countries whom Nigeria have entered abolition agreements with also don’t need to get a visa to visit. To obtain a business visa to Nigeria, you must be in possession of an invitation letter from the organization, stating the reason for your visit.
Nigerian business visa is granted to foreigners who are attending meetings, business conferences, marketing, contract negotiation, sales or purchase distribution of Nigerian goods. Also, if one is participating in a job interview, training for Nigerians, NGO staff, crew member, emergency relief, researcher or music concerts, they require a business visa.
Requirements for getting a Business Visa to Nigeria
However, being eligible doesn’t automatically qualify you for a visa. There are certain demands that one must meet to get the visa. These include;
- A passport with a minimum of six months validity and at least two blank pages.
- Two current passport sized photos
- Return ticket
- Evidence of available funds
- Avail your accommodation address which is either a restaurant or a host address in Nigeria
- An invitation letter copies from the company/ Nigerian host accepting immigration responsibility. (However, this requirement is not necessary for self-sponsored business men)
The visa is valid for a non-extendable 90 days to stay, and it is not valid for employment.
Online Visa Application Guidelines
All visa applications and payments are made through the country’s immigration website https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/pages/welcome.
On the site, you fill in the application form and submit, then print and continue to the payment option. Choose money order as your payment method and ensure that you have money in the account. You will be required to input payment detail in the application system. A visa for American passport holders goes for $180 but is bound to change.
Visa Application Fees
All visas are processed the same day of application apart from the STR visas which may take some time. You can view application fees for different countries by visiting the www.innovative1services.com. Select the Support column and then countries and processing fees.
The charges listed here require an additional $20 processing fee. Also, in addition to the passport and visa fee paid online, the embassy charges extra $30 processing fee per applicant. To hasten the application process, an extra $85 is paid to the Nigerian embassy. All payments are made either via money order, bank or company check.
All money paid is non-refundable once you submit the applications. You can also pay for the visa using debit or credit card which is done entirely at your discretion.
You can easily apply for a Nigerian business visa online, through visiting their immigration page. Like many other applications, you have to follow certain guidelines.
For the free zone areas, you;
- go to the Nigerian Immigration Portal home page
- select the appropriate application for the visa you are applying for; Business Visa in this case. (Choose the free zone application form)
- at the end of the form, check the T&C checkbox that shows you accept full responsibility for all the information you have provided in the form.
- Click on submit application
- Choose proceed to make payment and click pay in dollars option
If you want your processing country to be any other than Nigeria, then your payment will be in US dollars. Once you click pay, you are automatically directed to an approved platform to complete your transaction. You then take your receipts, passports and other necessary documents to the Nigerian embassy of your country. In case you want to change your interview date, you can do so by sending an email to nis-support@networksolutions.com. Recall to include your reference number and the proposed date in the email.
Important Information
Once the application forms are mailed or submitted to the embassy, visas charges and implementation fees paid are non-refundable regardless of whether you get your visa or not.
In case you want to get a refund for your money, you must do so before submitting or mailing your forms to the Embassy. For the procedure, visit the Innovative Service 1 to learn about the refund process.
Summarized Steps for Filling Nigerian Visa Online
- Visit the Nigerian Immigration Portal https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/pages/welcome.
- Choose the Visa Free Zone/ Entry Visa
- Select your processing country from the drop down menu
- Click on start application
- The application is completed in the Innovative 1 Services website. To complete your application, log in using your existing Gmail or Yahoo account, otherwise create a new one.
- Once you log in, register your account with the Innovative Services 1.
- Choose your Visa application offices from the down drop menu.
- Complete the form and click submit. Then print the 7-page document.
- Once your application complete, you are provided with an application ID and reference.
- Use the provided application ID and reference to make payments either using a money order, credit card or debit card. If you make payments via money order, you must wait for the Innovate Service1 to send you a confirmation of receiving your fees.
- Print the Visa Payment Slip and Acknowledgement form.
- Take/ mail the printed and filed documents with the companying documents to the embassy.
Supporting Documents
During you interview, the consulate goes through your supporting documents individually. Doing this helps them consider your professional, social, and cultural factors during you adjudication. For the interview, you should consider presenting original documents. At no cost should you think of submitting false documents.
The following documents are required for the interview;
- Proof of income, tax payments and any assets you may own.
- Your travel guides book and the reason for your trip.
- A letter from your employer detailing your position and salary, your employment period and the purpose for your business trip.
Criminal/court records explaining any arrests and the reason for your arrest even if you have completed your sentence.