Federal Republic of Nigeria visas
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.
7 routes · 4 without a sponsor · 2 lead to settlement
Official portal
Regulators of immigration advice
- Nigeria Certified Immigration Agent (NCIA) — Official Nigeria Immigration Service certification and registry for immigration and visa agents — a rare government-run adviser register. Verify any agent against the NCIA registry.
- Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) — Regulates legal practitioners in Nigeria who may provide immigration representation.
Visa routes (7)
CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card)
The core residence-and-work permit for expatriates living in Nigeria for a year or more, issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service and renewable while the underlying employment and expatriate quota remain valid.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Subject to Regularisation (STR) Employment Visa
The entry visa a foreign worker uses to come to Nigeria for employment and then regularise their stay into a CERPAC residence-and-work permit.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Business Permit (foreign-owned company)
The Ministry of Interior authorisation a wholly or partly foreign-owned company needs to operate legally in Nigeria, and the precondition for obtaining an expatriate quota and CERPAC permits.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Expatriate Quota (company-level authorisation)
A Ministry of Interior authorisation that grants a Nigerian company a fixed number of slots to employ expatriates in named positions, underpinning each worker's STR visa and CERPAC.
Sponsor required · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Investor Visa (multiple-entry)
A multiple-entry visa category of the Nigeria Immigration Service for foreign nationals investing in a Nigerian enterprise, with stay duration scaling by the size of the investment and sitting within the permanent-residence family of visas.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Permanent Residence (Nigeria)
Nigeria's permanent-residence visa group for highly skilled immigrants, investors, retirees and spouses of citizens or permanent residents, granting long-term residence beyond the renewable CERPAC.
No sponsor needed · Leads to settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel)
A short-term entry facility for business and urgent travel that, under the 2025 Nigeria Visa Policy, is now delivered mainly through an electronic visa applied for before travel rather than issued at the airport.
No sponsor needed · Non-settlement · Last reviewed 9 July 2026
Planning life after your move?
Organise documents, arrival money, housing and the practical steps after visa approval. Your route conditions remain the starting point.
Frequently asked questions
How many visa routes does Federal Republic of Nigeria have?+
We cover 7 Federal Republic of Nigeria visa routes in these categories: sponsored work, entrepreneur, investor, general residence, and visitor and short business. Each one links to its primary government source and carries a last-reviewed date.
Which Federal Republic of Nigeria visas do not need an employer sponsor?+
4 of the 7 Federal Republic of Nigeria routes we cover can be pursued without an employer sponsor, which helps if you do not have a job offer yet. The remaining 3 are employer-sponsored.
Which Federal Republic of Nigeria visas lead to permanent residence?+
2 of the 7 routes can lead to settlement or permanent residence; the others are temporary. Open each route for its settlement detail and qualifying period.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
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