Nigeria scrapped visa on arrival on 1 May 2025. Every short-term visitor, including Chinese passport holders, must now get an e-Visa online before travelling, through the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) portal at evisa.immigration.gov.ng. Decisions usually come about 48 hours after documents and payment are complete. You must also fill in an online landing card within 72 hours before every arrival, and an exit card before every departure.
The e-Visa covers business trips, tourism, transit and family visits. It is valid for 30 or 90 days and cannot be extended inside Nigeria. If you are moving to Nigeria to work, you need a different route altogether.
Nigeria e-Visa in 5 steps
- Choose category, prepare documents
- Apply on evisa.immigration.gov.ng
- Pay online, decision in ~48 hours
- Landing card within 72 hours of flight
- Exit card within 72 hours of departure
Key points
- Visa on arrival has ended: the e-Visa started on 1 May 2025. VoA pre-approvals issued before that date expired by 30 May 2025.
- Official portal: evisa.immigration.gov.ng, with a decision in about 48 hours. The visa arrives by email with a QR code.
- 13 short-visit categories: transit, tourist, business (single, multiple and frequent-traveller executive), visitor and others, each valid for 30 or 90 days.
- No extensions: overstaying costs US$15 a day and can lead to an entry ban.
- Landing and exit cards: complete them on lecard.immigration.gov.ng within 72 hours before each flight in or out.
- Not for employment: long-term jobs need an STR visa and CERPAC. Short technical assignments can use a Temporary Work Permit (TWP).
What changed in 2025
In April 2025 the Federal Ministry of Interior announced a package of reforms to digitise visas, entry records and expatriate administration. From 1 May 2025 the new e-Visa platform and the Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 took effect, and the airport visa on arrival was discontinued. VoA pre-approvals already issued stayed usable until 30 May 2025.
Three changes matter most in practice. First, there is no longer a visa sticker in your passport: you show the electronic visa with its QR code at the airport. Second, application, payment and approval all happen online, with an official target of about 48 hours once the file is complete. Third, the visa system is linked to the landing and exit card platform and to overstay penalties, so any overstay is recorded automatically against your next application.
The 13 e-Visa categories
According to Lagos law firm Aluko & Oyebode’s summary of the policy, the e-Visa covers 13 short-visit categories, each valid for 30 or 90 days as stated on the approval:
| Category | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Transit | Connecting through Nigeria to a third country |
| Business: single entry, multiple entry, frequent-traveller executive | Market visits, meetings, negotiations, trade fairs (no paid employment) |
| Tourist | Sightseeing and holidays |
| Visitor (single entry) | Visiting family or friends |
| Sports, creative arts | Competitions, performances |
| Study tour, academic exchange, international cultural exchange | Delegations, conferences |
| Emergency relief work | Humanitarian staff |
| Returning foreign-passport holders of Nigerian birth | People born in Nigeria |
For most of our readers the business e-Visa is the one that matters: head-office colleagues visiting for meetings, sales trips, trade fairs. It does not allow you to take up employment or draw a local salary. Starting a job requires the STR visa and CERPAC residence permit.
How to apply, step by step
- Choose the category that matches your trip. For business, ask your Nigerian host for an invitation letter early.
- Prepare scans of the documents listed below.
- Fill in the form on evisa.immigration.gov.ng: personal details, itinerary, host details and uploads. Group and family applications are accepted.
- Pay online. Fees are in US dollars and depend on nationality. They combine a visa fee, a bank charge and, for some nationalities, a biometric fee.
- Wait about 48 hours. If approved, the e-Visa with your biodata and QR code is emailed to you. Print a copy.
- Complete the landing card on lecard.immigration.gov.ng within 72 hours before departure.
- Arrive and leave. Show your passport, e-Visa and landing card at Lagos (LOS) or Abuja (ABV). Before you fly out, complete the exit card in the same 72-hour window; officers check it at the port of exit.
Documents checklist
- Passport valid for at least six months, with blank pages
- Recent passport photo (digital)
- Return ticket or itinerary
- Hotel booking or your host’s address in Nigeria
- Business: invitation letter from the Nigerian company plus its Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate
- Minors: birth certificate and parental consent letter
- Proof of payment
Nigeria also requires a yellow fever certificate from all travellers entering or leaving the country (infants under nine months and adults over 60 are exempt). Get vaccinated at a travel health centre in China before you go; see our malaria and vaccinations guide.
Fees: check the portal
Fees are set per nationality. Public sources list only some countries (US passport holders, for example, pay a US$160 visa fee plus a US$20 bank charge). We could not confirm the amount for Chinese passports from an official source, so we do not quote one here. The payment page on evisa.immigration.gov.ng shows the exact figure. Agents charge their own service fee on top.
Landing and exit cards
Paper arrival cards are gone. Foreign nationals and dual-citizen Nigerians must complete an online landing card before every arrival and an exit card before every departure, within 72 hours of the flight, on lecard.immigration.gov.ng. You enter passport details, travel details and a short biodata form. Because exit cards are linked to the visa system, any overstay penalty is applied automatically. Many first-time visitors forget the exit card; treat it like online check-in.
Overstay penalties
An e-Visa cannot be extended. Staying past expiry costs US$15 per day. Overstays of three months or more can bring a five-year entry ban, and a year or more a permanent ban. The Ministry gave a grace period from 1 May to 31 July 2025 for people with expired visas to regularise or leave, and nationwide enforcement began on 1 August 2025. If your trip might run long, pick the right visa before you travel.
Coming to work?
The e-Visa is for visits only. If your company is posting you to Nigeria, the employer first needs an approved expatriate quota. You then apply for an STR visa at a Nigerian embassy or consulate in China and convert it to a CERPAC after arrival. For short technical jobs, such as installing or commissioning equipment, a Temporary Work Permit e-visa is available online at US$600 for three months or US$1,100 for six months.
If you plan to set up your own business, a business e-Visa is fine for scouting and meetings, but operating requires registering a foreign-owned company. For travel planning, see our China–Nigeria flights guide and the newcomers page.
Common mistakes
- “I’ll get a visa at the airport.” Not any more. You need the e-Visa before you fly.
- “I’ll start work on a business visa and switch later.” An STR visa cannot be obtained by converting a visitor or business visa inside Nigeria.
- “A few days over doesn’t matter.” Fines are charged daily and recorded against future applications.
- “Unofficial sites are faster.” Use only the immigration.gov.ng portals and watch out for look-alike websites.
Sources
- Nigeria Immigration Service e-Visa portal
- NIS landing and exit card portal
- Aluko & Oyebode: Nigeria e-Visa and automated entry system (2025)
- PwC Nigeria: New immigration rules from 1 May 2025
- KPMG Nigeria: Ministry of Interior reforms (April 2025)
- Mondaq: How to obtain an e-Visa to Nigeria (2025)
- TravelHealthPro: Nigeria yellow fever requirements
FAQ
Does Nigeria still offer visa on arrival?
No. Visa on arrival ended on 1 May 2025 and earlier pre-approvals expired by 30 May 2025. You must obtain an e-Visa online before travelling.
How long does the e-Visa take?
About 48 hours after your documents and payment are complete. The approved visa is emailed to you with a QR code.
Can I extend an e-Visa in Nigeria?
No. e-Visas cannot be extended. Overstaying costs US$15 a day and longer overstays can lead to a five-year or permanent entry ban.
When do I fill in the landing and exit cards?
Within 72 hours before each flight into or out of Nigeria, on lecard.immigration.gov.ng. Officers check the exit card when you leave.
Can I work on a business e-Visa?
No. It covers meetings and market visits only. Employment requires an expatriate quota, an STR visa and a CERPAC residence permit.
Facts checked: 2026-10-22 · Niriliya Huaren Editorial Team · How we check facts