Visa On Arrival

The current process for expatriate business persons to visit Nigeria is via the Visa on Arrival (VOA). HERE the VOA can be processed. After log in, complete the application form, submit the application form and pay the visa fee. A confirmation email and a unique application ID will be received. The status of the VOA application can be checked here. An electronic travel authorisation letter will be sent to the email of the applicant. The expatriate can use this to enter Nigeria via Lagos or Abuja.

The VOA supporting documents include:

Personal information

Passport information

Passport picture

Round trip ticket

Letter of invitation from Nigerian company

Proof of adequate funds for stay in Nigeria

Proof of accommodation for stay in Nigeria

Yellow fever vaccine card

If the VOA is approved, the applicant will receive the Visa approval letter/travel authorisation within a few days. Upon arrival at the Lagos or Abuja airports, the expatriate must present the letter with other documents at the Visa on Arrival desk. The Visa on Arrival is stamped into the passport of the person. The Nigerian Immigration Service will stamp at least a 30 days visa with a maximum of 90 days.

Challenges to the VOA include:

- Expensive as fees of at least USD 200;

- Payment platform had issues in 2024;

- No guarantee to receive travel authorisation before travel date;

- Inadequate vetting of foreigners at ports of entry.

Upgrade of VOA

In February 2025, the Minister for the Interior announced that the VOA would be upgraded. The upgrade would be effective 01 April 2025. The upgrade will ensure that applications for short stay visas will get approvals within 24 to 48 hours. In addition, all expatriates must “complete a mandatory landing and exit card which will be integrated to visa and passport systems and synchronised with international security databases for enhanced monitoring and background checks”.

This means that “no visa entry or approval will be issued without real time security clearance from international agencies like Interpol.” The advantage of this upgrade is that only properly vetted persons enter Nigeria and monitoring and tracking of foreigners will be enhanced.

Conclusion

The upgrade for the VOA was overdue. The upgrade will usher in stricter processes which will lead to better tracking of foreigners entering Nigeria.

Helen E. Ijewere is currently the Regional Chair MEA of the GGI Global Mobility Solutions Practice Group. She is a Director at Nolands Nigeria. Her areas of specialisation are Global Mobility Solutions, Tax, Corporate Governance, Risk, Ethics, Compliance and Fraud. She joined the firm in January 2016 from private practice. She has a JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, and a BA from Trinity College, Washington, DC, USA.

Ashraf Abdel Ghani

Senior Partner

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