Nigeria Visa for Indians in 2026: The e-Visa Replaces Visa-on-Arrival
By Ananya Singh (Ananya Singh writes step-by-step first-international-trip guides for Indians — passport rules, the US/Schengen-visa cascade that unlocks half of Latin America, immigration walkthroughs, and the unglamorous logistics that separate a smooth trip from a stranded one.) · Published · Last updated · 12 min read
Nigeria abolished visa-on-arrival on 1 May 2025 and moved to a fully online e-Visa. Here's the honest 2026 walkthrough for Indians: the portal, the F6A visiting visa, documents (including the mandatory yellow fever card), fees and the realistic timeline.
Quick answer
Indian passport holders need a visa to enter Nigeria, and as of 2026 that means an e-Visa applied for online before you travel — Nigeria abolished visa-on-arrival on 1 May 2025. Apply on the official Nigeria Immigration Service portal, evisa.immigration.gov.ng; tourists/short visitors typically use the Visiting Visa – Single Entry (F6A), which generally allows a stay of up to 30 days and is valid 90 days from issue. The approved e-Visa is emailed in roughly 24–48 hours and must be printed and presented on arrival. Fees are significant — expect a visa fee around USD 253 plus an administrative/processing charge (often quoted near USD 100 on top) — and a yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory. Verify the current fee and category on immigration.gov.ng, and see our Nigeria visa page.
What changed in 2025: visa-on-arrival is gone
For years, Indians could use Nigeria's pre-approved visa-on-arrival scheme (apply for an approval letter, collect the visa at the airport). That era ended. Under Nigeria's 2025 immigration reforms, the visa-on-arrival programme was discontinued on 1 May 2025, and Nigeria rolled out a fully online e-Visa system in its place. So if you read an older guide describing a "VoA pre-approval letter," it's outdated.
What this means in practice for Indians in 2026:
- You must obtain your e-Visa before boarding — there is no collecting a visa on arrival anymore.
- The whole application is online via the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) e-Visa portal.
- The approved e-Visa arrives by email; you print it and present it at immigration on arrival.
Because the system is relatively new and categories were reorganised (the old tourism category was folded into a visiting-visa category), always confirm the current visa type and fee on the official NIS portal before applying. Treat unofficial "Nigeria visa" sites with caution and start at evisa.immigration.gov.ng.
Which visa Indian visitors use (F6A)
With the reorganisation, the standalone tourist category was removed from the e-Visa menu, and short-stay leisure/visit travellers now generally apply under the Visiting Visa – Single Entry (F6A). Typical parameters as of 2026:
- Stay: up to 30 days.
- Validity: the visa is valid 90 days from issue, i.e. you must enter Nigeria within 90 days of the e-Visa being granted.
- Entry: single entry (one entry and exit) under F6A; multiple-entry needs a different category.
If your trip is for business, there are separate business-visit categories, and Nigeria also runs longer-stay and work permit (CERPAC) routes that are outside the scope of a tourist visit. For a holiday or visiting friends/family, F6A is the usual choice — but confirm the exact category name and conditions on the portal at the time you apply, since the menu has been changing.
Step-by-step: applying for the Nigeria e-Visa
The application is done entirely on evisa.immigration.gov.ng. The flow, broadly:
- Create an account on the NIS e-Visa portal with your email and a password. Use a personal email you'll keep access to — the decision and the e-Visa PDF land there.
- Select the visa category (e.g. Visiting Visa – Single Entry / F6A) and your nationality (India).
- Fill the application form with personal details and passport information exactly as on your passport — a mismatched name or passport number is a common rejection reason.
- Upload the required documents (see the next section) — passport bio-page, photo, return ticket, accommodation/invitation, proof of funds, yellow fever certificate. Keep each file within the portal's size limits and in the accepted format.
- Pay the visa fee online by an international card.
- Wait for the email decision — usually within 24–48 hours for the e-Visa — then print the approval/e-Visa (two colour copies) and carry it.
Apply at least a week or two before travel to absorb any document re-submission, and don't book non-refundable flights before the visa is granted — use a confirmed reservation for the application instead. Once you have the visa, build your trip and check fares in the FlightGPT chat — start from Mumbai to Lagos or Delhi to Lagos.
Documents you'll need (including the mandatory yellow fever card)
Have these ready as clean scans/photos before you start the form:
- Passport valid at least 6 months with at least 2 blank visa pages.
- Recent passport-style photo to the portal's spec.
- Confirmed return / onward flight ticket.
- Proof of accommodation — hotel reservation, or a host's address plus an invitation letter from a host in Nigeria (often expected).
- Proof of sufficient funds — recent bank statements.
- Yellow fever vaccination certificate — mandatory. Nigeria strictly enforces proof of yellow fever vaccination at the border; get vaccinated at an authorised centre in India and carry the international (yellow) certificate.
The yellow fever card is non-negotiable — travellers have been turned back without it. Get it well in advance (the certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination). Keep both digital and printed copies of everything.
Fees, timeline and an honest cost warning
Nigeria is one of the more expensive visas an Indian will apply for, so budget honestly. As of 2026:
- Visa fee: around USD 253 (roughly ₹21,000–22,000 depending on the rate) for the visiting visa.
- Administrative / processing charge: an additional fee is commonly applied on top, often quoted near USD 100, taking the all-in cost toward USD ~350 in some quotes.
- Processing time: typically 24–48 hours for the e-Visa decision after a complete submission.
Why so high? Nigeria's visa fees are partly reciprocal — they broadly mirror what Nigerian citizens pay for an Indian visa — so the cost reflects the bilateral fee structure rather than a tourism markup. Either way, these figures move with policy and exchange rates, and the exact split between visa fee and service charge can vary, so confirm the live fee on the official portal before paying and don't be surprised by a high total. Pay on the official site with a card that works for international transactions; remember LRS reporting and possible TCS apply to forex spends, so keep the receipt. If a third-party site quotes a much lower or much higher figure, cross-check against evisa.immigration.gov.ng — there are many lookalike sites, and the only safe place to pay is the official NIS portal. Business travellers sponsored by a Nigerian company should ask whether the company will obtain the relevant business-visa approval, as that can change the document set and who bears the fee.
On arrival and practical tips for Indians
Arriving in Nigeria (most commonly Lagos, LOS, or Abuja, ABV):
- Carry your printed e-Visa, passport, return ticket, accommodation proof and yellow fever card — all may be checked.
- Nigeria also operates a health declaration / Nigeria International Travel Portal step for arrivals at times — check current health-entry requirements before you fly.
- Expect thorough immigration checks; have your host details and itinerary handy.
A few on-the-ground notes:
- Currency: the naira (NGN). Carry some USD cash; card acceptance is improving in cities but cash is king in many places.
- Safety: follow the latest Indian MEA travel advisory for Nigeria, use trusted airport transfers, and avoid travelling at night between cities.
- Health: beyond yellow fever, consider malaria prophylaxis after consulting a doctor.
For the document-prep side — bank statements, invitation letters, building a clean travel history that helps with any visa — see our guides on bank statements and ITRs and building travel history for visa applications. For other African destinations, compare our South Africa e-Visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for Nigeria in 2026?
Yes. Indian passport holders need a visa, and since visa-on-arrival was abolished on 1 May 2025, you must apply for a Nigeria e-Visa online at evisa.immigration.gov.ng before you travel. There is no visa on arrival anymore.
Is there still a Nigeria visa on arrival for Indians?
No. Nigeria discontinued the visa-on-arrival programme on 1 May 2025 and replaced it with a fully online e-Visa. Older guides describing a 'VoA pre-approval letter' are outdated — you now apply and get approved before boarding.
How much does the Nigeria e-Visa cost for Indians?
Around USD 253 (roughly ₹21,000–22,000) for the visiting visa as of 2026, and an administrative/processing charge is commonly added on top (often near USD 100), pushing the all-in cost toward USD ~350 in some quotes. Confirm the live fee on the official NIS portal before paying.
How long does the Nigeria e-Visa take?
Typically 24–48 hours for the decision after a complete submission, with the approved e-Visa emailed to you. Apply at least a week or two before travel to allow for any document re-submission.
Do I need a yellow fever vaccine for Nigeria?
Yes — a yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory and strictly enforced at Nigerian borders. Get vaccinated at an authorised centre in India (the certificate is valid from 10 days after vaccination) and carry the international yellow card.
How long can Indians stay in Nigeria on the e-Visa?
The Visiting Visa – Single Entry (F6A) generally allows a stay of up to 30 days, and the visa is valid for 90 days from issue (you must enter within that window). For longer or multiple-entry needs, a different visa category applies.
Which documents do I need for the Nigeria e-Visa?
A passport valid 6+ months with blank pages, a recent photo, a confirmed return ticket, proof of accommodation or a host's invitation letter, proof of funds (bank statements), and a mandatory yellow fever certificate. Submit them on evisa.immigration.gov.ng.