How to Get a Nigerian Visa in America
Located in West Africa, Nigeria is Africa's most populous country. If you are considering visiting the country for tourism or business, the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC regulates the visa process in the United States. While some African embassies in the United States require foreign nationals apply in person for visas, this is not the case with the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC allows foreign nationals seeking to visit Nigeria to apply for their visa online, making the visa process significantly more convenient than those of other countries requiring an in-person visa process.
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Things You'll Need
- Completed Visa Application form
- Proof of Visa fee payment
- Passport photographs
- Invitation letter if traveling on business
- Proof of Hotel Reservation if traveling as a tourist
- Proof of Sufficient Financial Resources
- Proof of Valid Legal Residence for non-U.S. citizens
- Self-addressed Fedex, UPS, DHL, or USPS return envelope with tracking.
Instructions
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1
Visit the "Apply For New Entry Visa/Freezone" page on the Nigeria Immigration Service homepage (see "Resources").
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2
Choose "United States" from the drop-down menu, read the overview information and then click the "Start Application" button located at the bottom of the page.
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3
Sign in to the Nigeria Immigration Service portal by clicking the "Google," "Yahoo," or "OpenID" logo, entering your credentials when the pop-up window opens and then selecting "Sign in."
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4
Follow the prompt by allowing SW Global LLC, which is the company that manages the Nigeria Immigration Service portal website, to authenticate your account.
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5
Enter your information in the fields provided under the "User Details" page and then click "Submit."
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6
Click the "Application" tab and then select "NIS Application." Choose "Visa/Free Zone" and "United States" under the "Application type" and "Processing country" drop-down menus, respectively, when routed to the "New NIS Application" page.
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7
Read the overview information and then choose the "Start Application" button.
Complete the online application and then print the completed form by selecting the "Print" button at the bottom of the page.
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8
Pay the visa-processing fee by money order made payable to "The Embassy of Nigeria." According to the Nigerian Embassy, as of May 2011, "a processing fee of $20.00, per application" is required before your visa application can be processed. If you are seeking expedited service, the fee is USD $85.00 in a money order.
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9
Get two 2-inch-by-2-inch passport photographs taken of you.
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10
Obtain an invitation letter if you are visiting a business entity in Nigeria. If you are visiting the country as a tourist, get documented proof of your confirmed hotel reservation.
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11
Get a photocopy of your valid proof of legal residence in the United States if you are not a U.S. citizen. Acceptable documents include your U.S. green card or valid U.S. visa.
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12
Obtain a bank statement from your financial institution showing that you have sufficient financial resources to cover your entire trip.
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13
Mail the completed application form and supporting materials, including your passport, which must have a minimum validity of six months to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC at the following address:
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
3519 International Court Northwest
Washington, DC 20008
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Tips & Warnings
You may also download a PDF copy of the "Application Form for Visa/Entry Permit" (see "Resources") and then proceed from step eight through step twelve to apply for your visa.
According to the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, DC, "all applications forwarded for processing by mail should be sent through FEDEX, DHL, UPS or USPS EXPRESS MAIL and with similar return envelope" and "must have tracking numbers."
References
Resources
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