Schengen Visa from Nigeria (2026): Fees, Embassy, Documents

Schengen visa from Nigeria: which embassy, fees and documents

By the SkyKoda travel desk · Updated 27 October 2026

Short answer: Nigerians need a Schengen visa for short visits (up to 90 days in any 180) to Europe's Schengen countries, and an airport transit visa to change planes in most of them. You apply to the country where you will spend the most time, between 6 months and 15 days before the trip. The fee is €90 for adults (paid in naira) plus the visa centre's service fee, and a decision normally takes 15 days. ETIAS does not apply to Nigerians.

Schengen visa: key facts (2026)

  • Nigerian passport holders need a Schengen visa for short stays (up to 90 days in any 180-day period). Nigeria is on the EU visa-required list (Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2018/1806). home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • Apply to the consulate of the country you will visit. If you visit several, apply to the country where you will spend the longest time. If the stays are equal, apply to the first country you will enter. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • Apply no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before the trip. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • The visa fee rose on 11 June 2024: adults from €80 to €90, children aged 6 to under 12 from €40 to €45. Children under 6 pay no fee. The fee is charged in naira at the mission's exchange rate and is not refunded if the visa is refused. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • External service providers (TLScontact, VFS Global, BLS) charge a service fee on top of the visa fee. Under the Visa Code this service fee may not exceed half the visa fee, normally €45. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • The normal decision time is 15 (calendar) days. It can be extended up to 45 days if more examination or documents are needed. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • Travel medical insurance must cover at least €30,000, be valid in all Schengen states for the whole trip, and cover emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation (including on death). For multiple-entry visas, it must cover the first trip and you undertake to insure later trips. exteriores.gob.es
  • Passport: valid at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen area, issued within the last 10 years, with at least 2 blank pages. exteriores.gob.es
  • Fingerprints are taken at submission. Children under 12 are exempt, as is anyone whose fingerprints were taken in the last 59 months (unless the quality was poor). exteriores.gob.es
  • Multiple-entry 'cascade' (Visa Code Art. 24(2), since 2020): a 1-year multiple-entry visa can be issued after you have lawfully used 3 visas in the previous 2 years. A 2-year visa can follow lawful use of a 1-year visa within the previous 2 years, and a 5-year visa can follow lawful use of a 2-year visa within the previous 3 years. Consulates still decide case by case, and no special faster cascade for Nigerian nationals was found. thelocal.de
  • France: applications from Nigeria go through TLScontact centres in Abuja and Lagos (opened 3 Oct 2023). A TLScontact appointment is compulsory and includes prepaying the service fee. Only the French Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos decide visas, and France-Visas warns applicants against intermediaries around TLS buildings. france-visas.gouv.fr
  • Netherlands: Schengen applications from Nigeria go through TLScontact. Residents of the northern and central states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, FCT, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara) use the Belgian TLScontact centre in Abuja. Everyone else uses the French TLScontact centre in Lagos. netherlandsworldwide.nl
  • Italy: visa applications must be submitted through TLScontact (offices in Lagos and Abuja). The Lagos centre is at 4th floor, Ivie House, 4/6 Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, by appointment Monday–Friday 8am–1pm. conslagos.esteri.it
  • Germany: Schengen visas are applied for in person at the Consulate General in Lagos (as a rule) or, in certain cases, at the Embassy in Abuja. You must book through the mission's free online booking system, one appointment per person. The fee is €90, paid in naira cash or POS. Processing is generally up to 15 calendar days. VFS Global in Nigeria takes appointment requests and national (long-stay) visa applications for the German missions. nigeria.diplo.de
  • Spain: BLS International is the outsourced partner for the Spanish Embassy and Consulate General in Lagos. Its Lagos centre is listed at No 8 Prof Gabriel Olusanya Street, Lekki Phase 1. nigeria.blsspainvisa.com
  • Nigerians also need an airport transit visa (ATV, type A) to change planes in a Schengen airport's international zone without entering. Nigeria is on the EU common ATV list. Holders of certain documents are exempt, such as a valid Schengen visa or certain residence permits (e.g. US, Canada, Japan); exact exemptions vary by country. dofi.ibz.be
  • Entry/Exit System (EES): started progressively on 12 October 2025 and fully operational from 10 April 2026. Non-EU short-stay travellers, including Schengen visa holders, have their fingerprints and facial image recorded at the border, and EES replaces passport stamping. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • ETIAS (the online travel authorisation) is only for nationals of the 59 visa-exempt countries, so it does not apply to Nigerians, who need a visa instead. ETIAS is not yet operating; the EU says it will start in the last quarter of 2026 and will announce the date several months ahead. government.nl
  • A Schengen visa does not guarantee entry: border guards may still check purpose, funds and return ticket. nigeria.diplo.de

How to apply for a Schengen visa from Nigeria

  1. Decide your main destination: the country where you'll spend the most nights, or your first entry country if the stays are equal. That country's consulate decides your visa.
  2. Find that country's channel in Nigeria: e.g. France or Italy → TLScontact (Lagos/Abuja); Netherlands → TLScontact (Belgian centre Abuja for northern/central states, French centre Lagos for others); Germany → its own online appointment system at the Consulate General Lagos / Embassy Abuja; Spain → BLS International Lagos.
  3. Book an appointment (no earlier than 6 months and at least 15 days before travel; apply well ahead because slots in Nigeria fill weeks in advance). Book only on the official site.
  4. Fill in the Schengen application form and gather documents: passport, photo, €30,000 travel medical insurance, proof of purpose, accommodation, funds and ties to Nigeria.
  5. Attend in person: submit documents, give fingerprints (unless taken in the last 59 months), and pay €90 (adult) in naira plus the provider's service fee.
  6. Wait for the decision: normally 15 days, up to 45 days in some cases. Don't buy non-refundable tickets before then.
  7. At the border your fingerprints and photo are recorded in the EES. Keep your insurance, return ticket and hotel or invitation proof with you.

Documents for a Schengen visa

  • Completed and signed Schengen visa application form
  • Passport issued within the last 10 years, valid 3+ months after you leave Schengen, with 2+ blank pages, plus copies of the data page
  • Passport photo meeting ICAO/consulate specifications
  • Travel medical insurance: minimum €30,000, valid in all Schengen states for the whole trip, covering emergency treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation (credit-card insurance is often not accepted)
  • Proof of purpose: e.g. invitation letter, conference registration, or tour itinerary
  • Proof of accommodation: hotel booking or host invitation
  • Proof of means: recent bank statements / payslips (or a sponsor's, with a sponsorship letter)
  • Proof of ties to Nigeria / intention to return: employer letter with approved leave, business registration, school letter, family ties
  • Round-trip flight reservation / itinerary
  • Minors: birth certificate and parental consent (German missions require both parents present or a notarised consent plus a parent's passport copy)
  • Fee payment: €90 adult / €45 child 6–11 / free under 6, in naira, plus the provider service fee
  • Each consulate publishes its own checklist; always use the checklist for your main-destination country

Tips

  • Book appointments only on the official TLScontact / VFS / BLS / mission websites. German missions say booking is free and they don't work with paid agents, and France-Visas warns about intermediaries outside TLS centres. nigeria.diplo.de
  • Choose your 'main destination' honestly and travel as planned. The consulate that issues the visa must be the one where you spend the most time, and following the itinerary helps your history for future multiple-entry (cascade) visas. home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
  • Buy proper medical travel insurance (€30,000+, all Schengen states, whole trip). Card-linked insurance is often refused, and cancellation or baggage cover does not count toward the requirement. exteriores.gob.es

Flying to Europe

Compare flights to Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other European cities in one search. Remember: changing planes in a Schengen airport usually needs an airport transit visa, so check your connection before you book.

SkyKoda sells flights, not visas. Rules change often: always confirm with the embassy or official website before you pay or travel. Facts checked 27 October 2026.

Common questions

How much is a Schengen visa from Nigeria in 2026?

The visa fee has been €90 for adults since 11 June 2024, €45 for children aged 6–11, and free for under-6s. It is paid in naira at the mission's exchange rate. TLScontact, VFS or BLS add a service fee, capped by EU law at half the visa fee. The fee is not refunded if you are refused.

Which embassy should I apply to if I'm visiting several Schengen countries?

The country where you'll spend the longest time. If the stays are equal, the country you'll enter first.

How long does a Schengen visa take in Nigeria?

The legal standard is 15 days, extendable to 45 days if more checks or documents are needed. Apply at least 15 days, and ideally several weeks, before travel. You can apply up to 6 months ahead.

Do Nigerians need ETIAS?

No. ETIAS is only for visa-exempt nationalities. Nigerians need a Schengen visa instead. ETIAS isn't operating yet; the EU expects it to start in the last quarter of 2026.

What is the minimum travel insurance for a Schengen visa?

At least €30,000 of medical cover, valid in all Schengen countries for your whole stay, including emergency hospital treatment and repatriation (including on death).

Do I need a visa just to change planes in Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt?

Usually yes. Nigeria is on the EU airport transit visa (ATV) list, so you need an ATV to transit an airport's international zone, unless you hold an exempting document such as a valid Schengen visa or certain residence permits (rules vary by country). Leaving the airport requires a full Schengen visa.

Can I get a multi-year Schengen visa?

Possibly, under the 'cascade': after lawfully using 3 visas in 2 years you may get a 1-year multiple-entry visa, then 2 years, then 5 years. It isn't automatic, and each stay is still limited to 90 days in any 180.

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Sources

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