Nigeria student & work visa: STR, CERPAC & work permits (2026)
Coming to Nigeria to study or take up a job is a different process from a short visit. The short-visit e-Visa does not cover living, studying or working here — for that you need the Subject To Regularisation (STR) route, which leads to a CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card). This guide explains the student and work routes, who does what, and the order that keeps you lawful.
Honest note: RenewPapers is not the Nigeria Immigration Service. Long-stay visas, STR and CERPAC are granted by the NIS, and work authorisation usually starts with your Nigerian employer or institution. What we do is help you and your sponsor assemble the right documents and move through the steps in the correct order.
Which route is yours?
- Work / employment — your Nigerian employer obtains approval (expatriate quota where relevant), you enter on an STR visa, then regularise to a CERPAC residence permit after arrival.
- Study — with admission from a recognised Nigerian institution, you enter on an STR (study) visa and regularise your stay.
- Accompanying family — dependants of an STR/CERPAC holder have their own route tied to the principal.
Find your route
How the work route works, step by step
- Employer approval — the Nigerian company arranges the necessary expatriate approval/quota and issues an offer and acceptance of immigration responsibility.
- STR visa — you apply at a Nigerian mission in your country with the employer’s documents, your passport, qualifications and photos, before travelling.
- Regularisation to CERPAC — after arrival, within the required time, you convert to the CERPAC residence permit.
- Renewals — CERPAC is renewed periodically while you remain employed/resident.
Order and timing matter. Do not travel on a visit visa intending to “switch” to work on the ground — the STR must be obtained before entry for employment. Starting late is the commonest, costliest mistake.
Documents are often legalised. Degrees, marriage and birth certificates attached to STR/CERPAC applications frequently need legalisation (Nigeria is not an Apostille country). We handle that so the application is not rejected.
Coming to Nigeria to work or study?
Tell us your situation and your employer or institution. We will confirm the STR/CERPAC route, coordinate the documents in the right order, and keep you lawful from entry to residence permit.
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