Nigeria Visa Guide for Indians: eVisa, Requirements & Application

A Nigeria eVisa is an electronically issued visa from the Nigeria Immigration Service that Indian citizens must obtain before travelling to Nigeria. You complete the application, upload documents, and pay the fee online; the approved visa is then emailed to you as a PDF to present at the airport. No stamp in your passport is required.

The eVisa replaced the older paper-based visa system and is the only route Indians can use — visa on arrival was phased out on 1 May 2025. The system is fast, fully online, and does not require a biometric appointment.

Yes. Indian citizens need a visa to enter Nigeria for any purpose — there is no visa-free entry and no visa on arrival.

The only exception is transit through a Nigerian airport without leaving the transit area, which is covered by a transit visa (F3B) rather than a full visa.

Tourist eVisa (F5A) — Most Common

The F5A is the standard visa for Indian travellers visiting Nigeria for tourism, sightseeing, or a short family visit. It is the simplest category to obtain because no host invitation letter is required. Full requirements are covered in our Nigeria tourist visa guide for Indians.

Stay: 30 days per entry | Validity: 90 days from issue | Entry: Single | Documents: Passport, photo, bank statement, flight itinerary, accommodation proof

Business eVisa (F4A Single Entry / F4B Multiple Entry)

Business e-visas cover business meetings, trade discussions, conferences, and short commercial assignments. Indian professionals attending Lagos trade fairs, oil and gas supplier meetings, or import-export negotiations typically use these categories. See the Nigeria business visa guide for Indians for the complete process, or BTWVisas corporate services for company-sponsored applications.

• F4A (single entry): 90 days validity, 30 days stay — the standard choice for a one-off business trip.
• F4B (multiple entry): 90 days validity, 90 days stay, multiple entries — for repeat business travellers.

Key extra documents: Invitation letter from the Nigerian host company (on company letterhead) and the host company's CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) registration certificate, plus a return ticket and hotel reservation.

Stay: 30 days per entry (F4A) | F4B: 90 days, multiple entry | Validity: 90 days | Not extendable

Temporary Work Permit (R10 / R11)

Temporary Work Permits (TWP) are for Indian specialists invited by a Nigerian company for short, project-based assignments — installations, commissioning, maintenance, audits, or training. Your Nigerian employer must obtain a Visa Authority Letter (pre-approval) from the Comptroller General of Immigration before you apply.

• R10: single entry, work stay not exceeding 30 days.
• R11: multiple entry, work stay of 6 months.

These are not long-term residence permits — longer employment requires the STR (Subject to Regularization) route and CERPAC after arrival.

Key documents: Visa authority letter, valid passport, employment contract, and company documents (CAC registration).

Transit Visa (F3B)

The F3B is for travellers passing through Nigeria to a third country who need to leave the airport transit area. It allows transit stays of 1-7 days. If you stay inside the transit lounge with a connection under 48 hours and never enter Nigerian territory, you normally do not need this visa (Transit Without Visa) — confirm with your airline. Apply well in advance because transit stays are short and rebooking is costly.

Key documents: Onward ticket, visa for the final destination (where applicable), a 30-day bank statement, and a hotel reservation or host address if you stay overnight.

Student Visa (R7A)

The R7A is for Indian students admitted to a Nigerian university or college. The institution applies for the visa accepting immigration responsibility (IR) on your behalf, and you need the admission letter plus proof of tuition payment. Unlike the short-stay e-visas, the student visa goes through the embassy route (visa.immigration.gov.ng) with an interview and biometric enrolment, and leads to a 2-year renewable residence permit. This category is less common for Indians but fully supported.

Wondering about the exact costs? Here is the official breakdown in USD and INR, verified against the Nigeria Immigration Service Service Level Agreement 2026 (SLA 2026) and the live eVisa portal, accessed July 2026.

Table 1 — Official Government Fee

*INR figures approximate; confirm the exact USD-to-INR rate at the time of payment.*

Key point: The official NIS fee for India is a flat US$253 for every category. If a website quotes ₹9,565 or ₹44,250, that is the agent's bundled service price, not the official fee.

Table 2 — Bank, Card and Gateway Charges

*INR figures approximate; charges vary by bank and card type.*

Table 3 — Total Estimated Cost for DIY Applicants

*INR figures approximate; confirm the exact USD-to-INR rate at the time of payment.*

Payment methods that work: Payfixy Rave (recommended — works reliably with Indian and international cards), Hydrogenpay (frequently fails for non-US cards — avoid if possible), Revolut card (reported as seamless by applicants), and international credit cards enabled for online international transactions.

All uploads must be PDF or JPEG and under 1 MB each. The portal rejects larger files, and photos must be JPEG (PDF photos are rejected).

Core Documents (All Applicants)

• Indian passport — valid at least 6 months beyond arrival date, with at least 2 blank pages (per NIS)
• Passport data page — clear scan or photo, PDF under 1 MB
• Passport-size photograph — JPEG, under 1 MB, white background, taken within 6 months, no glasses
• Bank statement — last 6 months (180 days), PDF under 1 MB, per NIS SLA 2026
• Return flight itinerary — round-trip booking PDF under 1 MB
• Accommodation proof — hotel booking or Airbnb confirmation PDF

Additional Documents by Visa Type

Indian Banking Nuances

Important: If the uploaded document preview shows blank on the portal, this is normal — many applicants report blank previews while the file still goes through. Do not re-upload repeatedly.

The entire process runs on the official portal: https://evisa.immigration.gov.ng. Here is the exact sequence:

1. Create an account — Go to evisa.immigration.gov.ng and register with your email address. Check your inbox (and spam folder) for the activation link.
2. Log in and start a new application — Select your visa category (F5A, F4A, F3B, etc.) and fill in personal, passport, and travel details exactly as they appear in your passport.
3. Upload your documents — Passport page, photo (JPEG), bank statement, flight itinerary, and accommodation proof. All files under 1 MB.
4. Review and submit — Double-check spelling and passport numbers before submitting. Blank previews are normal.
5. Pay the fee — US$253 via the gateway. If payment fails on Hydrogenpay, switch to the Payfixy Rave option or try a Revolut/international card.
6. Wait for approval email — Standard processing is 24-48 hours. The approval letter arrives as a PDF attachment.
7. Download and print your eVisa — Carry the approval PDF and your passport to the airport. No stamp is added in India.
8. Track if delayed — If nothing arrives after 2 weeks, follow up through official NIS channels only (see the Bribery Warning below before contacting anyone).

Note on the OIS suspension (July 2026): The NIS suspended OIS Visa Application Centre services in the United States effective 1 July 2026. This affects US-based applicants only. Indian applicants continue to apply entirely online — the suspension does not change the eVisa process for India.

Nigeria does not use VFS Global or similar centres in India. The eVisa is fully online. The Nigerian High Commission in New Delhi handles embassy-related matters, consular services, and the classic (non-eVisa) application route:

Typical working hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00 (consular section: 09:00-15:00 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday — verify before visiting, hours change during Nigerian public holidays).

For the eVisa route (recommended for most Indians), you do not need to visit any office in person.

What the AI Overview on Google gets wrong: Google's AI Overview currently quotes "20 to 25 business days" for Nigeria visa processing, sourced from agent pages. The official eVisa processing time is 24-48 hours. Do not plan your travel around agent-inflated timelines.

Fast-track / rush processing (NG-3): There is no official fast-track option on the eVisa portal. If an agent offers "guaranteed 24-hour approval," they are betting on the standard 24-48-hour timeline — the official system already processes within that window for most applicants. NIS advises applying 2-4 weeks ahead of travel. Be sceptical of paid rush services.

No biometrics are required for the Nigeria eVisa route in 2026. The NIS disengaged OIS biometric collection for online applications, so Indian applicants do not visit any centre for fingerprints or photographs.

Biometrics may only be requested if the NIS specifically asks for additional identity verification — in that case you will be notified directly through the portal. For the classic embassy route, requirements may differ; confirm with the High Commission if you use that path.

Indian applicants frequently confuse the two official NIS websites. Here is the difference:

Rule of thumb: If you are an Indian traveller applying for tourist, business, transit, work, or student visa, use evisa.immigration.gov.ng. The classic portal asks fewer document questions but is tied to the embassy route, which is slower and rarely needed.

Both domains are genuine NIS properties. However, never search for "Nigeria visa portal" on Google and click an ad — use the addresses above directly or from immigration.gov.ng's official links.

The NIS eVisa helpdesk and unofficial middlemen have been reported demanding extra payments. A widely discussed incident on Reddit involved an applicant who was told: "Either you pay me or your application will keep hanging forever" — with a demand of US$150 beyond the official fee.

Protect yourself:

• The official eVisa fee is US$253 — nothing more. Anyone asking for additional payment is not authorised.
• Never share your passport number or payment details over WhatsApp or text message with unknown numbers.
• Never transfer money to a personal bank account for visa processing.
• If you are approached for an unofficial payment, report it at reportgov.ng (Nigeria's official public complaint portal).
• Contact support only through the official eVisa portal's helpdesk email or the High Commission.

A genuine 24-48 hour process does not need a "fixer." If an application needs manual review or hits a local objection, the official system takes longer — that is the legitimate process, not a reason to pay.

Common Rejection Reasons and How to Avoid Them

Single-entry limitation: Most Nigeria visas are single-entry. Once you leave Nigeria, the visa cannot be reused — you must apply for a new one for your next trip. Do not book a multi-city trip expecting to re-enter on the same visa.

Worried about rejection? Get a free document review from BTWVisas experts before you submit — call Pune 02049027000. You can also read our common visa rejection reasons for Indians guide.

Practical Tips

• Apply 3-4 weeks before travel even though processing is 24-48 hours — it leaves room for extended checks and payment hiccups.
• Use a card with international transactions enabled. Many Indian debit cards fail on the portal's first payment attempt.
• Keep the approval PDF and a printed copy — some airlines ask to see the eVisa before boarding.
• Do not overstay. Overstaying risks fines and entry bans under the Nigeria Immigration Act 2015.

Based on our work processing Nigeria visas for Indian applicants at BTWVisas, here are the patterns we see most often:

Payment failures are the #1 point of frustration. Roughly a third of DIY applicants hit a failed payment on their first attempt, usually on the Hydrogenpay gateway with an Indian card. Switching to the Payfixy Rave option — or using a Revolut-style international card — resolves nearly all cases. Do not panic and re-apply; retry the payment on the same application.

Blank document previews worry everyone, almost always needlessly. Every week an applicant calls us convinced their bank statement "did not upload" because the preview shows blank. The file processes fine. Only re-upload if the final submission confirmation shows the document as missing.

Business visas need a proper host letter. F4A/F4B applications fail most often because the Nigerian host company's CAC registration is missing or the invitation letter lacks company letterhead. We advise Indian companies to collect these two documents from their Nigerian partner before starting the eVisa form.

Weekend applications work. We have seen approvals land on Saturday and Sunday — the NIS eVisa system is not strictly a weekday service. Do not assume a Friday submission means waiting until Monday.

Peak season reality: Applications around Nigerian trade fairs (Lagos International Trade Fair, typically November) and Indian festival travel (October-November) take slightly longer due to volume. Still, official processing rarely exceeds 48 hours.

Yellow Fever — Mandatory

A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for Indians entering Nigeria. You must be vaccinated at least 10 days before arrival, and the certificate must be presented at the airport. India requires the yellow fever vaccine to be administered at an approved government centre (e.g., Airport Health Organisation in major cities) — private clinics cannot issue the international certificate. Carry the original certificate with your eVisa.

Polio — Recommended for Longer Stays

The World Health Organization recommends a polio vaccination for travellers staying more than 4 weeks in Nigeria. Carry proof if your stay exceeds this window. Confirm the current requirement with your travel doctor before departure.

Meningitis — Seasonal Risk

Meningitis is a seasonal risk in the Sahel region, including parts of northern Nigeria. If your itinerary includes northern states during the dry season (December-June), ask your doctor whether the meningitis vaccine is advised.

Health Declaration on Arrival

Travellers are required to complete the NCDC health declaration before entering Nigeria. Submit it online before boarding at the official NCDC portal (healthapp.ncdc.gov.ng) — the NCDC recommends completing it at least 24 hours before arrival. You receive a QR-verified PDF to show at the port of entry alongside your Yellow Fever certificate.

Medical disclaimer: This is general guidance, not medical advice. Vaccination requirements change — consult a certified travel medicine clinic and verify current rules with official Nigerian health authorities before travel.

Entry process: At Lagos (Murtala Muhammed International) or Abuja (Nnamdi Azikiwe International) airport, present your passport, printed eVisa approval PDF, and Yellow Fever certificate to immigration. Carry a printout — phone screenshots are often not accepted.

Travel and health declarations: Complete two declarations before you fly. (1) The NCDC health declaration — mandatory for all international arrivals, completed online at healthapp.ncdc.gov.ng before boarding (recommended at least 24 hours before arrival). (2) The automated landing card — NIS requires it to be obtained at least 72 hours before arrival with your passport and travel details. Complete both before you join the immigration queue to avoid delays.

Stay limits: The F5A tourist eVisa allows a stay of 30 days per entry. Do not overstay — overstaying attracts fines and possible entry bans under the Nigeria Immigration Act 2015.

Longer stays: If your work or business in Nigeria exceeds 56 days, you must obtain a CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) through your employer or sponsor after arrival. This is separate from the eVisa and is handled by the Nigeria Immigration Service.

Leaving Nigeria: Present your passport and boarding pass at departure immigration. Your single-entry visa is consumed on exit — you will need a new eVisa for your next visit.

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