Federal Republic of Nigeria · short term business

Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel)

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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 sponsorship requiredDoes not lead to permanent residencyShort-term entry for business or urgent travel; not a residence status. Confirm current validity on the official page.In flux
Processing time
Indicative only - the e-Visa is applied for before travel; confirm current timelines on the official Nigeria Immigration Service page.
Government fees
Indicative only - government fees apply; confirm current amounts on the official Nigeria Immigration Service page.
Typical duration
Short-term entry for business or urgent travel; not a residence status. Confirm current validity on the official page.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
No

In short

As of 9 July 2026, the Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel) for Federal Republic of Nigeria is an unsponsored Nigeria immigration route. Sources: official Federal Republic of Nigeria government pages, reviewed 9 July 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/nigeria/visa-on-arrival#answer

What is the Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel) in Federal Republic of Nigeria?

Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel) is an unsponsored Nigeria route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only - government fees apply; confirm current amounts on the official Nigeria Immigration Service page; indicative processing time is Indicative only - the e-Visa is applied for before travel; confirm current timelines on the official Nigeria Immigration Service page; typical duration is Short-term entry for business or urgent travel; not a residence status. Confirm current validity on the official page. This route does not lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Nigeria Immigration Service on 1 June 2026.

Overview

Visa on Arrival was historically a facility for frequently travelling business people and travellers who could not obtain a visa in advance, requiring a pre-approval letter before flying. Under the 2025 Nigeria Visa Policy the legacy airport Visa on Arrival programme was suspended, and the government directs travellers to apply for an electronic visa (e-Visa) before arriving. It is a short-term route for business meetings and urgent travel, permits no employment, and does not lead to residence or settlement. Always confirm the current entry route, because the policy is actively changing.

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Confirm the trip is genuinely short-term business or urgent travel and check the current entry route on the official Nigeria Immigration Service site.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Prepare the invitation or purpose evidence, passport and travel arrangements required for the electronic visa.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Apply for the electronic visa before travel through the official Nigeria Immigration Service channel.

  4. After approval

    Travel within the visa validity, do not undertake employment, and switch to the appropriate work route if you intend to stay and work.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in Nigeria. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Use official Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel) route page ↗

    Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Visa on Arrival / e-Visa (business and urgent travel).

    Nigeria Immigration Service · verified

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Frequently asked questions

Can I still get a visa at the airport in Nigeria?+

Under the 2025 Nigeria Visa Policy the legacy airport Visa on Arrival programme was suspended, and travellers are directed to obtain an electronic visa before arriving. Confirm the current entry route on the official Nigeria Immigration Service page before booking travel.

Can I work on this short-term visa?+

No. This is a business or urgent-travel route that does not permit employment and does not lead to residence. For work you need the expatriate quota, STR visa and CERPAC chain - confirm requirements on the official Nigeria Immigration Service page.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in Nigeria

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Nigeria Immigration Service

Last checked: 1 June 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology