--- title: "Nigeria Academic exchange (R8A) requirements 2026: 2-year stay" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/academic-exchange-r8a/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-10 --- Nigeria · Student # Nigeria Academic exchange (R8A) **First stay:** 2 yrs Academic Exchange Programme (AEP) Visa – R8A First checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 2 yrs (Entry visa valid 90 days; 2-year renewable permit on regularisation.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport - **Work:** No (No employment.) ## Key facts Academic exchange (R8A) is a student route for Nigeria. You can't take local work. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source. - **Processing:** Up to 10 days - **First stay:** 2 yrs ## Time and long term **Renewal: Renewable** The 2-year permit issued when you regularise your status is renewable. [Nigeria Immigration Service](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/academic-exchange-programme-aep-visa-r8a/) **Citizenship: General rule: 15 years of residence** Naturalisation under section 27 of the Constitution needs 15 years of continuous residence in Nigeria, or 12 months of continuous residence plus at least 15 years in total in the 20 years before that. You must also show good character and an intention to be domiciled in Nigeria. [Federal Republic of Nigeria](https://nigeriarights.gov.ng/files/constitution.pdf) **Processing: Up to 10 days** The Nigeria Immigration Service Service Level Agreement sets a target of 10 days for the visa, counted from enrolment (interview and biometric capture). [Nigeria Immigration Service](https://immigration.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SERVICE-LEVEL-AGREEMENT-2026_.pdf) **Where to apply: From abroad** Apply online through a Nigerian embassy and enrol there. [Nigeria Immigration Service](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/academic-exchange-programme-aep-visa-r8a/) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Applications are made from outside Nigeria, not after arriving - Needs a place at a school or university in Nigeria - Work isn't allowed on this route ### What you'll need #### Documents - An MoU with the relevant ministry, department or agency and institutions is required. - An institution letter accepting immigration responsibility is required. - A passport valid for six months is required. ## What happens at day 183 How Nigeria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **2 years at first, renewable** - **Tax residence:** - **At least 183 days in 12-month period including leave and temporary absence** Sojourn in Nigeria counts as one of six alternative limbs of resident individual status; a person with none of the limbs and fewer than 183 days is non-resident. - **Foreign-source income:** Resident status turns on any one of the domicile, permanent place, habitual abode, family-and-economic-ties, 183-day or diplomat limbs; the Act taxes residents on worldwide income without a remittance condition (s.12). [All tax rules for Nigeria](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/tax/) Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026 **Full official text** Visa for the Resident Academic Exchange Programme for students, scholars, lecturers, researchers and sabbatical visitors. (sources 1, 2) #### Requirements - An MoU with the relevant ministry, department or agency and institutions is required. (source 1) - An institution letter accepting immigration responsibility is required. (source 1) - A passport valid for six months is required. (source 1) #### Stay - Entry visa valid 90 days; 2-year renewable permit on regularisation. - Initial permitted stay: 24 months. - Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal. - Entry visa up to 90 days: Visa valid 90 days from issuance and not extendable. - Residence permit up to 24 months: Issued on entry or regularisation. #### Work No employment. #### Family No family category listed. Checked 2026-10-10 ## Official sources 1. [Academic Exchange Programme (AEP) Visa – R8A](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/academic-exchange-programme-aep-visa-r8a/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Temporary Residence Visa (TRV) category](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/category/temporary-residence-visa-trv/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Service Level Agreement, revised edition (April 2026)](https://immigration.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SERVICE-LEVEL-AGREEMENT-2026_.pdf) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11 4. [Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), sections 26 and 27](https://nigeriarights.gov.ng/files/constitution.pdf) · Federal Republic of Nigeria (published by the National Human Rights Commission) · checked 2026-10-11 ## Academic exchange (R8A) and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Academic exchange (R8A) | – | 2 yr, renewable | No | | [Student visa (R7A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/student-r7a/) | – | 2 yr, renewable | Yes | | [Student card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/morocco/student-card/) Morocco | – | 10 yr, renewable | – | | [Exchange visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-africa/exchange-visa/) South Africa | – | 1 yr | Limited | | [Student residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/cabo-verde/student/) Cabo Verde | – | 1 yr, renewable | – | ## Questions people ask ### How long can I stay on the Academic exchange (R8A)? Entry visa valid 90 days; 2-year renewable permit on regularisation. ### How long does the Academic exchange (R8A) take to process? The Nigeria Immigration Service Service Level Agreement sets a target of 10 days for the visa, counted from enrolment (interview and biometric capture). ### Can I work on the Academic exchange (R8A)? No. No employment. ### Can I bring my family on the Academic exchange (R8A)? No family category listed. ## More in Nigeria [Highly Skilled (N4A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/highly-skilled-n4a/) [Employment · Cleric (R6A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r6a-cleric/) [Employment · Expatriate (R2A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r2a-expatriate/) [Employment · Free zone (R3A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r3a-free-zone/) [Employment · Government (R4A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r4a-government/) [Employment · INGO (R5A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r5a-ingo/) [Temp work permit 6 mo (R11)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/twp-r11/) [Temp work permit (R10)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/twp-r10/) ## Study visas elsewhere [🇳🇦 Short-course student visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/namibia/students-visa/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-10 against 4 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources. Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out. 1. [Academic Exchange Programme (AEP) Visa – R8A](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/academic-exchange-programme-aep-visa-r8a/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Temporary Residence Visa (TRV) category](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/category/temporary-residence-visa-trv/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 3. [Service Level Agreement, revised edition (April 2026)](https://immigration.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SERVICE-LEVEL-AGREEMENT-2026_.pdf) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11 4. [Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), sections 26 and 27](https://nigeriarights.gov.ng/files/constitution.pdf) · Federal Republic of Nigeria (published by the National Human Rights Commission) · checked 2026-10-11 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.