Expansion of Activities - Business Visa on Arrival -Nigeria

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Dayo Adu
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Dayo.adu@fasmvillesolicitors.com
Woye Famojuro
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Woye.famojuro@famsvillesolicitors.com
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Nigeria, February 27, 2017
Background: This memo seeks to enlighten Partners, business visitors to
Nigeria, companies, investors and human resource experts on the new policy
direction of the Nigeria Immigration Service (“NIS”) in line with the 60-day
national action plan for ease of doing business in Nigeria that was approved
recently by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
The Policy: expands on the category of persons and activities that can be
undertaken when issued a visa at entry point. It further allows those visiting
from countries where Nigeria does not have an embassy to obtain visas at the
port of entry. The aim of the policy is to remove bureaucratic bottleneck and
encourage business travellers and tourists.
Permissible Activities on the Business Visa on Arrival; The permissible
activities have been revised and expanded by the NIS to cater for foreign
travellers who wish to travel to Nigeria for
Old Activities: meetings, conferences, seminars.
New Activities: contract negotiation, marketing, sales, purchase and
distribution of Nigerian goods, trade fairs, job interviews, training of
Nigerians, emergency/relief work, crew members, staff of NGOs, staff of
INGOs, researchers and musical concerts”
Who qualifies; foreign travellers, Artist, High net worth Individuals,
Businessmen, business visitors, and Investors coming to Nigeria
Implementation time frame: Immediate
New Developments further introduced by the NIS:
 The harmonization of multiplicity of airport arrival and departure
form/cards into a single form for all agencies of government to save
foreign visitors from the current frustrating practice of filling three
different forms or more and the decentralization of immigration
services to the state commands.
 Re-issuance of passports for change of names due to marital reasons or
lost cases have been decentralized to all state commands and foreign
missions to save passport holders from additional costs and
inconvenience of travelling to the service headquarters in Abuja
 Additional 28 offices have been opened for issuance of residence
permits in Nigeria, bringing the issuance of Combined Expatriate
Residence Permit And Aliens Cards (CERPAC) closer to the doorstep
of employers of expatriates at all 36 states and FCT.
Famsville is able to assist with obtaining the requisite approval from the
office of the Comptroller General of Immigration “CGI’”, prior to the
arrival of the business visitors. Our role is to ensure a seamless mobility
of business visitors and investors alike.
Nigeria - Nigeria Immigration Service Simplifies visa
processes for investors and Tourist