Key Points
- Nigeria launched a new online e-visa system for short-stay visas beginning May 1, 2025.
- Visa-on-arrival has been discontinued, and digital versions have replaced manual entry and exit cards.
- Travelers must now complete e-visa and entry card formalities online before travel.
Overview
Effective May 1, 2025, Nigeria introduced a fully digital e-visa platform and automated landing and exit cards, significantly modernizing its immigration and border control systems. The new e-visa system replaces the visa-on-arrival process, allowing foreign nationals to apply online for short-stay visas between 30 and 90 days. Approved visas are typically issued within 48 hours, with digital copies sent directly to applicants.
Nigeria also eliminated manual embarkation and disembarkation cards to streamline the arrival process further. Instead, non-Nigerian travelers and dual citizens must obtain digital landing and exit cards online at least 72 hours before entering or departing the country.
To ease the transition, a grace period from May 1 to August 1, 2025, will be implemented, allowing travelers with expired visas to exit the country without incurring penalties. However, authorities have not clarified the enforcement date for fines for overstaying under the new system.
These changes aim to improve border efficiency, enhance traveler documentation procedures, and align Nigeria’s immigration infrastructure with global best practices.
Looking Ahead
Employers, immigration professionals, and travelers to Nigeria should adapt to the new digital systems and ensure compliance with pre-travel requirements to facilitate seamless travel. All entries and exits now require digital documentation, and visa applicants must use the official online platform moving forward. Stakeholders should continue to monitor further guidance from Nigeria’s immigration authorities, particularly regarding the timeline for penalties for overstaying and any potential future updates to visa categories or processing policies.
