UK Visa for Nigerian Citizens: Fees, Documents & VFS Centres

Yes. Nigeria is on the UK's visa national list, so Nigerian citizens need a visa before travelling to the UK for tourism, family visits or short business trips, and cannot use the electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme. The usual route is the Standard Visitor visa: you apply online on GOV.UK, then attend a VFS Global visa application centre in Abuja or Lagos to give your fingerprints and photograph.

Which visa fits your trip

The Standard Visitor visa covers holidays, visiting friends and relatives, attending business meetings, conferences and short courses, and some other permitted activities. It does not allow you to work in the UK, take a job or live there through repeated visits.

Each visit can normally last up to six months. You can choose a standard six-month visa or, if you travel to the UK regularly, a long-term visa valid for two, five or ten years. A long-term visa still limits each stay to six months, and caseworkers may grant a shorter visa than the one you paid for if they are not satisfied you qualify for the full period.

Fees as of October 2026

Home Office fees rose on 8 April 2026, and the fee table effective from 8 October 2026 leaves visit visa fees unchanged. As of October 2026, the fees for applications made outside the UK are:

• Standard Visitor visa, up to 6 months: £135
• Long-term visit visa, up to 2 years: £506
• Long-term visit visa, up to 5 years: £903
• Long-term visit visa, up to 10 years: £1,128
• Priority Visa service (optional): £500 on top of the visa fee
• Super Priority Visa service (optional): £1,000 on top of the visa fee

The visa fee is not refunded if you are refused or granted a shorter visa than requested. VFS Global also sells optional extras at its centres, such as document upload help, out-of-hours appointments, courier return and premium lounges. These are charged separately and, as VFS itself states, they do not affect the decision or how long UKVI takes.

Where Nigerians apply

Everything begins with the online form on GOV.UK. After you submit and pay, you book an appointment to prove your identity. Since 19 November 2024, VFS Global has run the UK visa application centres in Nigeria. When the service launched, VFS announced centres at these addresses; confirm the current locations on the VFS Global booking page before your appointment.

• Abuja: Churchgate Plaza, Constitution Avenue, Central Business District
• Lagos (Ikeja): Ile Oja Opebi Mall, Opebi Link Road
• Lagos (Victoria Island): Churchgate Plaza Tower 2, Churchgate Street

VFS Global also announced Premium Application Centres in Port Harcourt (Hotel Presidential) and Enugu (Omedel Luxury Hotel) in May 2025. Premium centres usually cost extra, so check the current price and availability on the VFS Global Nigeria UK page before booking.

At your appointment you show your passport, have your biometrics taken and hand over or upload your supporting documents. GOV.UK says your passport is normally returned the same day, though the centre may keep other documents during processing. VFS also offers a paid service that lets you keep your passport while the application is assessed.

Processing time and priority services

GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within about three weeks of attending your appointment. You can apply up to three months before you travel, so plan around school holidays and Christmas, when demand from Nigeria is high.

UKVI offers Priority (usually a decision within five working days) and Super Priority (usually by the end of the next working day) for most visas applied for outside the UK. Whether they are offered for visit visas at a particular Nigerian centre on a given date is shown when you book, so confirm it at that stage. Paying for priority speeds up the decision only; it does not improve your chances.

Documents to prepare

There is no fixed list that guarantees approval, but the Home Office guide to supporting documents sets out what helps. Documents not in English need a full certified translation.

• A valid passport, plus older passports showing previous travel
• Bank statements showing where your money comes from, ideally recent and covering several months; statements more than a year old carry little weight
• An employer letter on headed paper confirming your role, salary, length of service and approved leave
• If self-employed or a business owner: CAC registration documents, recent invoices, and business account statements
• Students: a letter from your school or university confirming enrolment and leave
• Evidence of ties to Nigeria, such as property, family responsibilities or ongoing studies
• If someone else is paying: their bank statements, proof of their status in the UK, and evidence of your relationship
• An invitation letter from a UK host, with their address and immigration status, if you are staying with them

Hotel and flight bookings, travel insurance and personal photos are listed by the Home Office as less useful. You do not need to buy a ticket before the decision.

Showing your funds properly

Caseworker guidance says there is no set amount. Officers look at whether your income and savings, after your regular commitments such as rent, school fees and dependants, can realistically cover the trip. If most of the money in your account appeared shortly before you applied, they may question where it came from. Large, unexplained lodgements are a common concern for applicants from Nigeria, so explain any big deposit with evidence such as a sale agreement, a gift letter with the giver's statement, or a salary history.

Your documents must also match what you declare on the form. Since January 2025, the guidance stresses that income and financial details in your supporting documents should be consistent with your application answers.

If a sponsor is paying

Third-party support is acceptable where the sponsor has a genuine relationship with you and can afford to support you alongside their own household. A UK-based sponsor must be lawfully in the UK. Declare the support on the form; undeclared help from others is generally disregarded.

Common refusal reasons

The Home Office must be satisfied that you are a genuine visitor. Refusal letters for Nigerian applicants usually turn on one or more of these points:

• Not convinced you will leave at the end of the visit, often because ties to Nigeria (job, business, family, studies) are weak or poorly evidenced
• Funds that are unexplained, recently deposited or inconsistent with your declared income
• A purpose of visit that does not fit your background or that differs from your sponsor's account
• Previous overstays, breaches or refusals by the UK or other countries that were not disclosed
• Patterns of long or frequent stays suggesting you are effectively living in the UK
• False documents or false statements on the form

Deception is treated seriously: using false documents or lying on the form can lead to refusal and a ban on future applications. Always disclose past refusals, including those from other countries.

Visit visa refusals do not normally carry a right of appeal. You can reapply at any time, but a fresh application should address each reason in the refusal letter rather than repeat the same evidence.

TB testing

Nigeria is on the UK list of countries where a TB test is required, but the test only applies to visitors coming for more than six months. A normal Standard Visitor application for up to six months does not need a TB certificate. If you qualify for a longer stay, for example certain medical treatment visits, you must be tested at a Home Office approved clinic; the GOV.UK Nigeria page lists clinics in Lagos, Abuja and Benin.

Avoid visa scams and fake agents

The only official places to apply are GOV.UK and the VFS Global centres it links to. GOV.UK warns that you will never be asked to pay for a visa in cash or by money transfer, and no agent can guarantee approval or a faster decision. Be wary of anyone selling appointment slots, offering to "arrange" bank statements, or asking you to pay into a personal account. Submitting forged statements or employment letters can lead to a ban. Report suspected scams through the UK's Report Fraud service.

Frequently asked questions

Can a Nigerian get a UK visa without a sponsor?

Yes. Many applicants fund their own trip. You need to show that your own income and savings cover the visit and that you have reasons to return to Nigeria.

How much bank balance do I need for a UK visitor visa from Nigeria?

There is no fixed figure. The Home Office looks at whether your funds, after your normal outgoings, realistically cover the cost of your planned trip, and whether the money has a clear source.

Can I apply for a UK visa in Port Harcourt or Enugu?

VFS Global announced Premium Application Centres in both cities in 2025. They cost more than the standard centres in Abuja and Lagos, so check availability and charges on the VFS Global booking page.

Should first-time applicants from Nigeria apply for a 2-year visa?

You can, but the fee is not refunded if you are granted a shorter visa or refused. Many first-time applicants choose the six-month visa and apply for a long-term visa once they have a good travel record.

Do Nigerians need a TB test for a UK visit visa?

Not for a standard visit of up to six months. A TB test is needed only if you are coming for more than six months.

Rules, fees and centre arrangements change without much notice. Before you apply or pay anything, confirm the current details on GOV.UK and the official VFS Global Nigeria page for UK visas.