--- title: "Nigeria Retiree from abroad (N5B) requirements 2026" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/retirement-n5b/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-10 --- Nigeria · Retire or live on savings # Nigeria Retiree from abroad (N5B) **First stay:** 2 yrs Retirement Visa (Retiree from Abroad) – N5B First checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 2 yrs (Entry visa valid 90 days from issuance; residence permit for 2 years, multiple entry.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport - **Work:** No (Not permitted to work; residence only.) ## Key facts Retiree from abroad (N5B) is a retire or live on savings 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 **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** Apply online and enrol at a Nigerian embassy; the residence permit is issued on entry or regularisation. [Nigeria Immigration Service](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/retirement-visa-retiree-from-abroad-n5b/) ## Why this route may not fit Check this before you apply. - Applications are made from outside Nigeria, not after arriving - Work isn't allowed on this route - Only from age 65 ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - The applicant is aged 65 or over. #### Documents - A letter of retirement is required. - A verifiable place of residence in Nigeria is required. - A passport valid for at least six months is required. - A medical insurance certificate is required. - Security clearance from the country of residence 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** - **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** Multiple-entry residence permit for foreign retirees aged 65 or older who retired abroad and wish to live in Nigeria. (sources 1, 2) #### What you must show - Income · Proof of retirement income (pension payments where applicable) and importation of funds by bank statement. (source 1) #### Requirements - The applicant is aged 65 or over. (source 1) - A letter of retirement is required. (source 1) - A verifiable place of residence in Nigeria is required. (source 1) - A passport valid for at least six months is required. (source 1) - A medical insurance certificate is required. (source 1) - Security clearance from the country of residence is required. (source 1) #### Stay - Entry visa valid 90 days from issuance; residence permit for 2 years, multiple entry. - Initial permitted stay: 24 months. - Entry visa up to 90 days: Visa is valid 90 days from issuance and not extendable. - Residence permit up to 24 months: Issued on entry or regularisation. #### Work Not permitted to work; residence only. #### Family Dependants apply under N6A, N6B, N6C and N6D. Checked 2026-10-10 ## Official sources 1. [Retirement Visa (Retiree from Abroad) – N5B](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/retirement-visa-retiree-from-abroad-n5b/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Permanent Residence Visa (PRV) category](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/category/permanent-residence-visa-prv/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 3. [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 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 ## Retiree from abroad (N5B) and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Retiree from abroad (N5B) | – | 2 yr | No | | [Own-means residence card](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/morocco/visitor-card-own-resources/) Morocco | – | 10 yr, renewable | – | | [PR · Financially independent](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/south-africa/pr-financially-independent/) South Africa | Needs assets of ZAR 12M+ ≈ $725k | – | – | | [Retired non-citizen permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/mauritius/retired-non-citizen/) Mauritius | Needs income of $2,000+ a month | 10 yr, renewable | No | | [Retiree permanent residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/cabo-verde/retired-permanent/) Cabo Verde | – | – | – | ## Questions people ask ### How long can I stay on the Retiree from abroad (N5B)? Entry visa valid 90 days from issuance; residence permit for 2 years, multiple entry. ### How long does the Retiree from abroad (N5B) 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 Retiree from abroad (N5B)? No. Not permitted to work; residence only. ### Can I bring my family on the Retiree from abroad (N5B)? Dependants apply under N6A, N6B, N6C and N6D. ## More in Nigeria [Highly Skilled (N4A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/highly-skilled-n4a/) [Investor · Large (N3C)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/investor-n3c-large/) [Investor · Medium (N3B)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/investor-n3b-medium/) [Investor · Oil & gas (N3E)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/investor-n3e-oil-gas-power/) [Investor · Small (N3A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/investor-n3a-small/) [Investor · Ultra-large (N3D)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/investor-n3d-ultra-large/) [Employment · Cleric (R6A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r6a-cleric/) [Employment · Expatriate (R2A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/nigeria/employment-r2a-expatriate/) ## Retirement and live-on-savings visas elsewhere [🇰🇪 Class K · Ordinary resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/kenya/class-k-ordinary-resident/) [🇷🇼 Assured income / retiree (K)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/rwanda/k-assured-income-retiree/) [🇸🇨 Non-working residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/seychelles/residence-permit/) ≈ 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. [Retirement Visa (Retiree from Abroad) – N5B](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/retirement-visa-retiree-from-abroad-n5b/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 2. [Permanent Residence Visa (PRV) category](https://immigration.gov.ng/info-center/category/permanent-residence-visa-prv/) · Nigeria Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10 3. [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 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 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.