--- title: "Nigeria Employment · Free zone (R3A) requirements 2026" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r3a-free-zone/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Nigeria · Work # Nigeria Employment · Free zone (R3A) **First stay:** 2 yrs Employment Visa (Free Zone) – R3A Checked against official sources on 12 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 2 yrs (Visa valid 90 days from issuance. Residence or work permit of 24 months, renewable.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport ## Key facts Employment · Free zone (R3A) is a work route for Nigeria. 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** - $2,000 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. **Renewal: Renewable** The 2-year permit issued when you regularise your status is renewable. [Nigeria Immigration Service](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/employment-visa-free-zone-r3a/) **Citizenship: After 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** Your employer first obtains Free Zone authority approval. You then submit the application at a Nigerian embassy and finalise your permit after entering Nigeria. [Nigeria Immigration Service](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/employment-visa-free-zone-r3a/) ## 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 ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - The applicant has a job offer or assignment letter from a recognised Free Zone enterprise. #### What you must show - The CERPAC residence permit card costs USD 2,000 for employed foreigners, paid online. #### Documents - Clearance from the Free Zone regulatory authority is required. - Qualifications and certificates are 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** Employment visa for expatriates employed in a Nigerian Free Zone, such as the Lekki Free Trade Zone. (sources 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. (source 3) #### Requirements - The applicant has a job offer or assignment letter from a recognised Free Zone enterprise. (source 1) - The CERPAC residence permit card costs USD 2,000 for employed foreigners, paid online. (source 3) - Clearance from the Free Zone regulatory authority is required. (source 1) - Qualifications and certificates are required. (source 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 Employment confined to the Free Zone. #### Family Spouse, children and parents apply for R3B to R3E. Checked 2026-10-12 ## Official sources 1. [Employment Visa (Free Zone) – R3A](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/employment-visa-free-zone-r3a/) · 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. [Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC)](https://immigration.gov.ng/combined-expatriate-residence-permit-and-aliens-card-cerpac/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-12 4. [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 5. [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 ## Employment · Free zone (R3A) and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Employment · Free zone (R3A) | – | 2 yr, renewable | – | | [Employment · Cleric (R6A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r6a-cleric/) | – | 2 yr | – | | [Employment · Expatriate (R2A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r2a-expatriate/) | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited | | [Employment · Government (R4A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r4a-government/) | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited | | [Employment · INGO (R5A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r5a-ingo/) | – | 2 yr | – | ## Questions people ask ### How much money do I need for the Employment · Free zone (R3A)? A fee of $2,000. CERPAC residence permit card fee for employed foreigners, paid online. ### How long can I stay on the Employment · Free zone (R3A)? Visa valid 90 days from issuance. ### How long does the Employment · Free zone (R3A) 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 · Free zone (R3A)? Employment confined to the Free Zone. ### Can I bring my family on the Employment · Free zone (R3A)? Spouse, children and parents apply for R3B to R3E. ## More in Nigeria [Highly Skilled (N4A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/highly-skilled-n4a/) [Temp work permit 6 mo (R11)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/twp-r11/) [Temp work permit (R10)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/twp-r10/) [Academic exchange (R8A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/academic-exchange-r8a/) [Student visa (R7A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/student-r7a/) ## Work visas elsewhere [🇲🇦 Employee residence card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/morocco/employment-contract-visa/) [🇿🇦 Critical Skills visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-africa/critical-skills-work-visa/) [🇲🇺 Professional Occupation Permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/mauritius/professional-occupation-permit/) [🇨🇻 Highly qualified permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/cabo-verde/highly-qualified/) [🇰🇪 Class I · Religious work](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/kenya/class-i-religious/) [🇷🇼 Skilled worker H1 (demand list)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/rwanda/h1-skilled-worker-occupation-on-demand/) ≈ 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 2026-10-12 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. 1. [Employment Visa (Free Zone) – R3A](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/employment-visa-free-zone-r3a/) · 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. [Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC)](https://immigration.gov.ng/combined-expatriate-residence-permit-and-aliens-card-cerpac/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-12 4. [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 5. [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.