Nigeria Immigration Service’s Services

List Of 10 Nigeria Immigration Service’s Services you Need to Know

This post outlines the various services in the Nigeria Immigration service that one needs to know. It is written to enlighten and serve as a guide to those that have the interest in getting recruited in this government agency.

The Nigeria Immigration Services undertakes several immigration responsibilities for both indigenous Nigerians and to the international communities.

In this article List of 10 Nigeria immigration service’s services you need to know have been carefully explained; the roles and services of the Immigration Service.

What is Nigeria’s immigration service (NIS)?

The Nigeria immigration service is part of the government agencies that is saddled with the responsibility of migration management in Nigeria.

What is the vision statement of the Nigerian immigration service?

The vision statement of the Nigerian immigration service is to be a modern, effective, and efficient immigration service, manned by a well trained and motivated workforce.

What is the mission statement of the Nigerian immigration service?

The mission statement of the immigration service is to strengthen the security and property of Nigeria through proactive, effective, and efficient border security migration management.

Why the need for Nigeria immigration service?

The primary reason why the Nigerian immigration service came about is to manage migration.

The service since 1963 has been restructured to manage modern migration in line with global, regional, and sub-regional political alignments.

A brief history of the Nigeria Immigration Service’s Services

You may be wondering how the Nigerian immigration service came about.

The Nigeria Immigration Service was extracted from the Nigeria Police (NP) in August 1958. It was at that time referred to as the Immigration Department and headed by the Chief Federal Immigration Officer (CFIO).

The immigration department was formally established by an act of parliament (cap 171, laws of the federal republic of Nigeria) on august 1, 1963.

As at that time, Alhaji Shehu Shagari was the minister of internal affairs of Nigeria (a position that is now referred to as the minister of interior.

Initially, the laws regulating the immigration service were the immigration Act of 1963 which was later amended in 2014and 2015 (Immigration Act, 2015).

Following some structural reforms in October 1992, the designation of the “Director of immigration” was changed to “Controller General of Immigration Service” thereby granting the service a paramilitary status. Notwithstanding, the last Director of Immigration (Garba Abbas) became the first Controller General of Immigration (CGI).

What are the duties of the Nigerian immigration service?

The Nigeria immigration service as empowered by Section 2 of the Immigration Act, 2015.

The services of the Nigerian Immigration Service are as follow:

  • The control of persons entering or leaving Nigeria, either via land or airport.
  • Issuance of visa and visas on arrival.
  • Border management (surveillance and patrol).
  • The issuance of travel documents such as enhanced passport, standard passport, official passport, diplomatic passport, and Nigerian passports, (to Nigerian citizens both within and outside Nigeria).
  • Enforcement of laws and regulations with which are directly charged.
  • The issuance of residence permits to foreigners in Nigeria.
  • The performance of such para-military duties within or outside Nigeria as may be required of them under the authority of this Act or any other enactment.

Does the Nigerian immigration service have a new visa policy?

The Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2020 has expanded the classes of visas from six to 79 classes. These new classes are categorized into three:

  1. Short Visit Visas (28 classes): The Short Visit Visas allow foreigners to visit Nigeria for a period of up to 3 months this is just for the purpose of tourism and short business meetings, amongst others.
  2. Temporary Residence Visas (36 classes): The Temporary Residence Visas allow individuals to reside in Nigeria for the purposes of employment, accompanying employed migrants, and schooling, among others.
  3. Permanent residence Visas (15 classes): The Permanent Residence Visas confers permanent residence status on spouses of Nigerian citizens, Nigerians by birth who have renounced their Nigerian citizenship, and their spouses, investors who import an annual minimum threshold of capital, highly skilled individuals, and some classes of retirees.

What are the ways to obtain a Nigerian visa?

Nigerian Visas are obtained in the Countries where applicants are domiciled or the nearest Nigerian Mission nearest to their Countries of residence.

  1. Transit Visa / Entry Permit: this is granted to transiting passengers with confirmed visa to an onward destination other than Nigeria, seamen, and pilots.

What are the requirements for the issuance of Transit Visa?

Valid passport with a minimum of 6 months validity

Valid visa to an onward destination outside Nigeria

Valid visa to an onward destination outside Nigeria

Confirmed Airline ticket to the final destination

Evidence of funds

2. Direct Transit Visa (airside) / Entry Permit: this is for transiting passengers with confirmed visa to an onward destination other than Nigeria, seamen, and pilots signing on. It is valid for 48 hours and not valid for employment.

What are the requirements for the issuance of Direct Transit Visa (airside)/ Entry Permit?

Passport with minimum of 6 months validity

Valid visa to onward destination outside Nigeria

Confirmed Airline ticket to final destination

Evidence of sufficient funds

3. Business visa/Entry Permit: it permits businessmen and investors to come to Nigeria for business discussions obtainable from Nigerian Missions abroad. It is valid for 90 days but can be extended. It is not valid for employment.

What are the requirements for the issuance of Business Visa / Entry Permit?

Evidence of sufficient funds

A valid return ticket

Acceptance of IR (Immigration Responsibilities)

Evidence of sufficient funds to maintain one’s self in the country

A letter of invitation from a company in Nigeria, accepting full immigration responsibility

4. Tourist Visa / Entry Permit: it is applicable to persons wishing to visit Nigeria for the purpose of tourism and also individuals who want to visit family members. It is not valid for employment.
What are the requirements for the issuance of a Tourist Visa / Entry Permit?

Valid passport with minimum of 6 months validity

Valid Visa to onward destination

Valid Airline return ticket

Evidence of funds

Evidence of Hotel reservation

Acceptance of IR (Immigration Responsibility)

5. Diplomatic visa/ Entry: this is applicable to Visiting Heads of States and their families, Top officials of Government and their families, Diplomats and their families, Holders of United Nations Diplomatic Passport and Laisser passes, members of accredited Diplomatic Missions, members of International organizations, members of accredited International non-governmental organizations 

What are the requirements for the issuance of Official / Diplomatic Visa / Entry Permit?

Valid standard, official or diplomatic  passports

Note Verbale

Obtainable from Nigerian Missions abroad

6.Subject to Regularization Visa / Entry Permit: for expatriates employed by individuals, corporate bodies, or governments (i.e. to take up employment in Nigeria).

What are the requirements for the issuance of STR Visa / Entry Permit

Valid passport with minimum of 6 months validity

Valid passport with minimum of 6 months validity

Letter of employment

Expatriate quota approval

Credentials of the applicant

Duly completed form IMM 22

Curriculum Vitae or Resume

For chief executive officers (C.E.O) of corporate organizations, there is need for extract of the minutes of the Board’s resolution

Obtainable only from Nigerian Missions in the countries where applicants are domiciled for at least six (6) months

Receipt of online payment of visa fee.

7. Temporary Work Permit Visa / Entry Permit: This is applicable to experts invited by corporate bodies to provide specialized skilled services, such as after-sales installation, maintenance, repairs of machines & equipment

What are the requirements for the issuance of temporary work permit (TWP)?

Confirmed Airline Return ticket

Acceptance of IR (Immigration Responsibility) by inviting organizations or individuals.

Obtainable only from the office of the Comptroller General of Immigration in the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters, Abuja.

Note: IR means acceptance of Immigration Responsibility which includes but not limited to

  • Accommodation/feeding
  • Transportation
  • and if need be the cost of repatriation or deportation

What are the requirements for Nigeria Immigration service recruitment?

  • Applicant must be Nigerian by birth;
  • Applicants must possess the requisite qualifications and Certificates.
  • Applicant must be between the ages of 18-30 years;
  • Applicant’s height must not be less than 1.65m for males and 1.60m for females;
  • Applicant’s chest measurement of not less than 0.87m for men;
  • Computer literacy will be an added advantage.
  • Applicants with any of the following disabilities need not apply:
    • Impediment in speech (stammering/ dumb),
    • Gross malformation of teeth,
    • Knocked knees,
    • Bent knees,
    • Bow legs,
    • K-legs,
    • Flat foot,
    • Limb legs,
    • Bent arms/ deformed hands /fracture,
    • Defective eye sight (squint-eye, crossed eye, one-eyed and total blindness),
    • Amputation of any part of physical body,
    • Hearing impaired (deaf),
    • Hunched back,
    • Obesity,
    • Pregnancy,
    • Medical challenges and any other physical deformity not mentioned.

Is the Nigerian immigration service presently recruiting?

Presently, the Nigeria Immigration Service is not recruiting but applicants can always log on to the portal in case of relevant information.

How can I apply for the Nigerian immigration service?

To apply for the Nigeria immigration service, applicants are expected to log onto The Nigeria Immigration Service Recruitment Portal

Once there is a recruitment opportunity, the career portal of the Nigerian Immigration Service opens to accept applicants from all the 36 States of the federation.

Unless otherwise stated by the organization, the official recruitments are only conducted through the official websites that are contained in this highlighted webs link.

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