Nigeria · Work
Nigeria Employment · Expatriate (R2A)
First stay: 2 yrs
Employment Visa (Expatriate) – R2A
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Employment · Expatriate (R2A) is a work route for Nigeria. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $2,000
- Processing
- Up to 10 days
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee $2,000; decision: up to 10 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$2,000
- $2,000CERPAC residence permit card fee for employed foreigners, paid online. The page's list of CERPAC visa types does not name this visa class, but it states the fee for all employed foreigners.
RenewalRenewable
The 2-year permit issued when you regularise your status is renewable.
CitizenshipAfter 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.
ProcessingUp 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).
Where to applyFrom abroad
Your employer applies for an expatriate quota first. You then apply for the Subject-to-Regularization visa at a Nigerian embassy and regularise your status in Nigeria to get the CERPAC residence permit.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Applications are made from outside Nigeria, not after arriving
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Nigeria
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The applicant has a confirmed work contract with a Nigerian employer holding a valid Expatriate Quota approval from the Ministry of Interior.
What you must show1
- The CERPAC residence permit card costs USD 2,000 for employed foreigners, paid online.
Documents3
- An employment contract and an acceptance letter are required.
- Educational certificates and a CV are required.
- A board resolution is required for senior managers.
Steps2
- Apply for the Subject-to-Regularization (STR) visa at a Nigerian embassy.
- Regularise the status on entry.
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 absenceSojourn 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 Tax records checked
Full official text
Employment visa for a foreign national offered a job under an approved Expatriate Quota; after entry the holder regularises status and obtains the CERPAC. 1 2 3
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $2,000 · CERPAC residence permit card fee for employed foreigners, paid online. The page's list of CERPAC visa types does not name this visa class, but it states the fee for all employed foreigners. 3
Requirements
- The applicant has a confirmed work contract with a Nigerian employer holding a valid Expatriate Quota approval from the Ministry of Interior. 1
- The CERPAC residence permit card costs USD 2,000 for employed foreigners, paid online. 3
- An employment contract and an acceptance letter are required. 1
- Educational certificates and a CV are required. 1
- A board resolution is required for senior managers. 1
- Apply for the Subject-to-Regularization (STR) visa at a Nigerian embassy. 1
- Regularise the status on entry. 1
Stay
- Visa valid 90 days from issuance. Residence or work permit of 24 months, renewable.
- 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.
- Residence permit up to 24 months: Issued on entry or regularisation.
Work
Must work only for the sponsoring employer.
Family
Spouse and dependants apply for R2B to R2E visas.
Official sources
- Employment Visa (Expatriate) – R2A · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Temporary Residence Visa (TRV) category · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-12
- Service Level Agreement, revised edition (April 2026) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), sections 26 and 27 · Federal Republic of Nigeria (published by the National Human Rights Commission) · checked 2026-10-11
Employment · Expatriate (R2A) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment · Expatriate (R2A) | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Employment · Cleric (R6A) | – | 2 yr | – |
| Employment · Free zone (R3A) | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Employment · Government (R4A) | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Employment · INGO (R5A) | – | 2 yr | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Employment · Expatriate (R2A)?
A fee of $2,000. CERPAC residence permit card fee for employed foreigners, paid online.
How long can I stay on the Employment · Expatriate (R2A)?
Visa valid 90 days from issuance.
How long does the Employment · Expatriate (R2A) 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 Employment · Expatriate (R2A)?
Limited. Must work only for the sponsoring employer.
Can I bring my family on the Employment · Expatriate (R2A)?
Spouse and dependants apply for R2B to R2E visas.
More in Nigeria
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 5 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.
- Employment Visa (Expatriate) – R2A · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Temporary Residence Visa (TRV) category · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-12
- Service Level Agreement, revised edition (April 2026) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-11
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), sections 26 and 27 · 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, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.