Are you looking to travel to Nigeria with your child but not sure of the steps needed to get infant visa to Nigeria? This article will show you the things you need to do so you will not have to leave any member of your family behind.
Why Visit Nigeria?
Nigeria is a highly-populated country in West Africa. Asides from its great people and large landmass, places of interest include the Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State, the Cross River National Park, the Awhum Waterfall in Enugu State, the IIta Forest in Oyo State, etc.
If you are not after tourism and sightseeing, then this self-styled land of opportunities if for you.
Who Needs a Nigerian Visa?
Apart from the holders of ECOWAS member states passport, who are exempt from getting visas due to cooperation between the countries in the West African Region, just about everyone else needs to get a Nigerian visa before they are allowed into the country. The requirements for acquiring Infant Visa to Nigeria are standard and not necessarily difficult.
Traveling with Infants and Kids
Infants and children below the age of 17 also require Nigerian visas just like adults. The process of applying for a Nigerian Visa for children is almost identical to the steps adult applicants have to go through, except for a few additional requirements.
Requirements for Getting Nigerian Visa for Infants and Minors
- An International passport with validity of six months. Also, there should be at least one blank page in the passport for the visa to be stamped. Submission of photocopies of the data/information page of the passport is also required. The online application form should be filled, completed and then printed. The form is accessible on the Nigeria Immigration Service website at https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/visa/freshVisa.
To begin,
- Click “Start Application”
- Fill the application form, and on completion,
- Print two copies and click submit
- When you have successfully submitted your application, you will be redirected to a page that contains your reference ID. You will also get an email from Nigeria Immigration Service containing the same page.
- Ensure that the printed form is signed and dated before it is sent to the embassy or consulate.
- Confirmation of payment is given once you have registered and paid for your online application of your infant’s visa to Nigeria. Please print the confirmation of payment because the embassy will need to see the proof. It is possible to make the required $30.00 payment using a money order, after which the confirmation of payment should be added and sent along with the application. Cheques payable to the Consulate General of Nigeria are also accepted.
If the visa applicant requires an expedited application process that would reduce the waiting time to three working days, an additional payment of $65 dollars is required. To print the receipt/acknowledgment slip, log on to https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/visa/VisaStatus and enter your application, type reference No., and ID, and then click SEARCH RECORD to pull out your Payment Confirmation receipt.
- Two Coloured passport-sized photographs taken against a white background should be uploaded on the online application and also sent to the embassy. The recommended size for the passport photograph is 2 by 2.
- Flight itinerary confirming booking and flight arrival and departure is also needed.
- A Letter of Consent signed by both parents is also needed for the infant’s Nigerian visa It is important to note that signatures of the child’s parents should match the ones on their international passports and the child’s birth certificate. In the case where either of the child’s parent has sole custody, a copy of a legal document confirming this should be provided. In this case, only one parent’s consent is needed.
- The Nigeria Immigration Service requires a copy of the baby’s Birth Certificate, which should be uploaded on the web portal and also sent directly. The signatures on this document need to match the ones on the child’s international passport.
- For Visitors and Tourists, the following items are required:
- A letter of Invitation written by the host and addressed to the Consulate General.
- Relevant documents of the host to include international passport and copies of the data page showing the host’s picture and signature, for non-Nigerians, the page that shows the host’s immigration status in Nigeria should be presented.
- Confirmation of Hotel Reservation
- Bank Statement showing adequate funds.
- The printed copy of the online application should be mailed along with hard copies of all the documents that had been uploaded to the online application portal. It is wise to use the services of a trusted courier. Include an addressed envelope in the documents sent to the consulate so that the original documents may be returned after the visa has been issued.