Nigeria is a beautiful nation with plenty of business investment opportunities. To travel to Nigeria for business, you will need a business visa. A Nigerian Business Visa enables you to attend business conferences, meetings, workshops, and seminars; without it, you will not be permitted to enter Nigeria. Applying for a business visa may seem like a hectic process filled with stress and headaches. The good thing is, we have prepared 4 simple steps that you can follow:
Step 1: Preparation Process
The first step to getting a business visa to Nigeria is to prepare all the required documents well in advance. According to the Nigerian immigration services, the following documents are required.
- A passport that is valid for at least 3 months before expiry.
- The passport must contain 2-4 blank pages for visa endorsements
- As an applicant, you must have 2 coloured passport-sized photos taken not more than 3 months ago. The passport photos must be clear and have a sharp focus, showing 70-80% of the person’s face.
- The applicant must have a flight itinerary that includes a return ticket.
- The applicant must provide proof of sufficient funds. The proof should be in the form of a bank statement with a minimum of R30 000.00.
- The applicant must show proof of a hotel reservation or provide the address of the person who will host them in Nigeria.
- The applicant must provide a copy of the host company’s certificate of incorporation in Nigeria.
- The applicant must provide an invitation letter from the host company and the company’s signatory passport or ID.
- The applicant must provide another letter from the host company stating that they will be responsible for their immigration.
- The applicant must provide proof that they are employed in South Africa.
- The applicant must make a photocopy of the data page (this is the page where all the personal passport information is).
- If the business trip is self-sponsored, the applicant does not need to provide a letter of invitation.
Step 2: The Application Process
After gathering all the necessary documentation presented in step 1, the next step is to complete the visa application form online on the Nigerian Immigration Services website. On the homepage of the Nigerian Immigration Services, there are visa types and visa application guidelines. Select Business Visa, fill in the application form and submit it. Print the online application form and sign it, then proceed to make the online payment.
Step 3: Make an Online Payment
Visa payments are made online. Before making the payment, you need to select which type of visa entry you need. The entry costs differ according to a person’s nationality and the number of times the person wishes to enter and exit Nigeria. For a South African, a single-entry costs $58, and multiple entries cost $103.00. Once the online payments are made, an acknowledgement of the payment slip will appear. You must print out the proof of payment.
Step 4: Submit Application at the Nigerian Embassy
Now that the payments are made and the visa documentation requirements are prepared, it’s time to schedule an interview date and drop off hard copies of the visa application at the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is always a good idea to make extra copies of visa documents before submission. An applicant can reschedule an interview appointment to another date by sending their application ID, reference number and proposed date. Lastly, a business visa takes a minimum of 7 days to process.
Final Thoughts on Nigeria Business Visa
In short, these 4 simple steps are meant to make the Nigeria business visa application process a walk in the park and your travel to Nigeria smooth. Remember to prepare all visa application documents well in advance, complete the online application form, make the online payment and submit all hardcopies at the Nigerian Embassy.
