Federal Republic of Nigeria vs Republic of Vanuatu
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Federal Republic of Nigeria
The Nigeria Immigration Service, under the Federal Ministry of Interior, administers expatriate entry and residence, the core document being the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC). Nigeria is unusual in operating an official agent-certification scheme, the Nigeria Certified Immigration Agent (NCIA). Headline routes include the STR employment route, CERPAC, the company Expatriate Quota, the Investor Visa and a Permanent Residence permit.
- Official portal
- Nigeria Immigration Service
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- Nigerian naira
Republic of Vanuatu
Vanuatu administers residence through the Department of Immigration and Passport Services, with six residence-visa grounds (partner, child, employee, self-funded, investor and leaseholder) and a permanent-resident visa. Its Development Support Program (citizenship by investment) is run separately by the Citizenship Commission and grants citizenship, not residence. Note that the EU removed Vanuatu from its visa-free Schengen list in December 2024.
- Official portal
- Department of Immigration and Passport Services (Vanuatu)
- Languages
- Bislama, English, French
- Currency
- Vanuatu vatu
How Federal Republic of Nigeria and Republic of Vanuatu differ
| Dimension | Federal Republic of Nigeria | Republic of Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 7 | 7 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 4 | 5 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 2 | 4 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | — | — |
| Dominant skilled visa | CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) | Residence Visa (Employee ground) |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | — |
| Skilled visa processing time | — | — |
| Skilled visa government fees | — | — |
| Official languages | English | Bislama, English, French |
| Currency | Nigerian naira | Vanuatu vatu |
| Primary regulator | NCIA | VLS |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 0 | 0 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Federal Republic of Nigeria
CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Republic of Vanuatu
Residence Visa (Employee ground)
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Routes unique to Federal Republic of Nigeria
Routes unique to Republic of Vanuatu
Visa routes side by side
Federal Republic of Nigeria (7)
CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Issued for a fixed period (commonly up to two years) and renewable; an indefinite-validity CERPAC card has also been introduced - confirm current validity on the official portal.
Subject to Regularisation (STR) Employment Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Single-journey entry visa used to enter and then regularise into a CERPAC; confirm validity on the official page.
Business Permit (foreign-owned company)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · A company-level authorisation that remains valid for the operating entity; confirm current validity and renewal terms on the official page.
Expatriate Quota (company-level authorisation)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Granted for a defined period in the first instance (commonly three years) and renewable within a maximum lifespan; confirm current terms on the official page.
Investor Visa (multiple-entry)
No sponsor · To settlement · Multiple-entry validity that scales with the investment tier (the small-scale tier commonly carries a multi-year stay); confirm current durations on the official page.
Permanent Residence (Nigeria)
No sponsor · To settlement · Long-term, multi-year residence depending on the category (the Highly Skilled Immigrant Visa carries a multi-year multiple-entry stay); confirm current terms on the official page.
Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Short-term entry for business or urgent travel; not a residence status. Confirm current validity on the official page.
Republic of Vanuatu (7)
Residence Visa (Employee ground)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Issued for set periods (commonly one to several years) and renewable while you remain employed by the sponsoring business. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Self-funded ground)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while you keep meeting the income condition. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Foreign Investor ground)
No sponsor · To settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while you hold a valid VIPA certificate and the investment continues. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Leasehold Holder ground)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while you maintain the qualifying leasehold and income. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Residence Visa (Partner / Child ground)
Sponsor · To settlement · Issued for set periods and renewable while the qualifying relationship continues. Confirm the current bands on the official Department of Immigration page.
Permanent Resident Visa
No sponsor · To settlement · Longer-term permanent residence status, subject to the conditions and any renewal or reporting requirements set by the Department. Confirm the current terms on the official Department of Immigration page.
Development Support Program (citizenship by investment)
No sponsor · To settlement · Grants citizenship, not a time-limited residence; the underlying programme rules can change. Confirm the current rules with the Vanuatu Citizenship Office.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Federal Republic of Nigeria or Republic of Vanuatu?+
Federal Republic of Nigeria’s CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) is the dominant skilled route; Republic of Vanuatu’s Residence Visa (Employee ground) is the dominant skilled route. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Does Federal Republic of Nigeria or Republic of Vanuatu have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Republic of Vanuatu has more: 5 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 4 for Federal Republic of Nigeria. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.