UK Visa from Nigeria (2026): Fees, Documents, How to Apply

UK visitor visa from Nigeria: fees, documents and how to apply

By the SkyKoda travel desk · Updated 27 October 2026

Short answer: Nigerians need a UK visa to visit and, in most cases, even to change planes in the UK. A 6-month Standard Visitor visa costs £135 (since 8 April 2026); 2-, 5- and 10-year visas cost £506, £903 and £1,128. You apply online on GOV.UK, give fingerprints at a VFS Global centre in Abuja or Lagos, and the standard decision time is 3 weeks. Approved visitors now get an eVisa, not a sticker.

UK visitor visa: key facts (2026)

  • Nigerian passport holders are 'visa nationals': they need a visa to enter the UK and also to transit the UK (Nigeria is on the 'need a visa to enter or transit' list, not the landside-only list). Nigerians cannot use an ETA; ETAs are for visa-exempt nationalities such as Europe, USA, Australia, Canada. gov.uk
  • Standard Visitor visa fee (applying outside the UK): £135 for up to 6 months; long-term visit visas £506 (2 years), £903 (5 years), £1,128 (10 years). These rose on 8 April 2026 (from £127 / £475 / £848 / £1,059, the figures in force from 9 April 2025). The 8 October 2026 fee table shows no change to these amounts. gov.uk
  • Even on a 2-, 5- or 10-year visa you can stay a maximum of 6 months per visit. You may be given a shorter visa than you applied for, and fees are not refunded for a shorter visa or a refusal. Applicants under 18 get a long-term visa valid only until 6 months after their 18th birthday. gov.uk
  • You must apply online before travelling; the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. You then attend a visa application centre appointment to prove identity and give fingerprints and a photo. gov.uk
  • Standard processing time for visit visas applied for outside the UK is 3 weeks, counted in UK working days from your biometrics appointment. GOV.UK says not to book travel until you have a decision. gov.uk
  • Faster decisions, where offered: Priority service £500 extra (usually about 5 working days); Super Priority £1,000 extra (usually by the end of the next working day). Each family member pays separately. Fees are usually not refunded if the decision takes longer. GOV.UK does not say whether both services are available at every Nigerian centre; applicants check availability while applying. gov.uk
  • In Nigeria, UK visa application centres are run by VFS Global, which took over from TLScontact. Centres in Abuja, Ikeja (Lagos) and Victoria Island (Lagos) opened on 19 November 2024. vfsglobal.com
  • VFS Global also runs paid UK Premium Application Centres in Enugu and Port Harcourt (opened 2025) and Kano (July 2025), booked through the same VFS UK-Nigeria portal. vfsglobal.com
  • Since 2026, successful visit-visa applicants get an eVisa (a digital visa in their UKVI account) instead of a sticker in the passport. UKVI stopped issuing vignette stickers to all successful new applicants on 1 July 2026. Nigerian news outlets reported eVisas for Nigerian visitors from 25 February 2026. Existing stickers stay valid until they expire. Before travelling, sign in to your UKVI account to check your eVisa. gov.uk
  • Since 25 February 2026, airlines must stop passengers boarding unless they hold an ETA, an eVisa or other valid permission. gov.uk
  • Transit visa fees: Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV) £41.50; Visitor in Transit (landside, leaving within 48 hours) £74.50. gov.uk
  • Get a DATV if you will change flights in the UK without going through UK border control. Get a Visitor in Transit visa if you will go through border control and leave within 48 hours. You do not need a transit visa if you already hold a UK Standard Visitor visa (among other listed documents). gov.uk
  • Airside transit without a visa (TWOV) is allowed for visa nationals who arrive and leave by air with a confirmed onward flight the same day from the same airport, and who hold one of these: a valid visa for Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the USA (whether or not travelling to those countries); a valid permanent residence permit from those countries (with conditions); a valid EEA/Swiss common-format residence permit; a valid EEA/Swiss category D visa; or a valid Irish biometric visa endorsed BC/BC BIVS. Other countries' e-visas count only if the airline can verify them. Home Office guidance (25 March 2026) says the scheme now runs as a published concession (Annex A) after the March 2026 rules wrongly removed the appendix, with no change in policy. gov.uk
  • A tuberculosis (TB) test certificate is needed only if you are visiting for more than 6 months. gov.uk
  • Documents not in English or Welsh need a full translation that the Home Office can independently verify, showing that the translator confirms it is accurate, the date, the translator's full name and signature, and contact details. gov.uk

How to apply for a UK visitor visa from Nigeria

  1. Check the purpose of your trip fits the Standard Visitor rules (tourism, family, business meetings, short courses, private medical treatment, etc.) and decide on a 6-month or long-term (2/5/10-year) visa.
  2. Apply online on GOV.UK (gov.uk/standard-visitor) no earlier than 3 months before you travel, and pay the visa fee (£135 for 6 months as of 8 Apr 2026).
  3. Book a biometrics appointment with VFS Global (the UK's visa centre provider in Nigeria): Abuja, Lagos (Ikeja / Victoria Island) or, for an extra charge, a Premium Application Centre (Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kano).
  4. Upload or bring your supporting documents as instructed, with certified translations of anything not in English.
  5. Attend the appointment with your passport: fingerprints and a photo are taken. GOV.UK says you get your passport back the same day.
  6. Wait for a decision (usually within 3 weeks; Priority £500 / Super Priority £1,000 where offered). Don't book non-refundable travel before then.
  7. If approved, sign in to your UKVI account to see your eVisa (stickers stopped on 1 July 2026). Check the dates and conditions before you fly.

Documents for a UK visitor visa

  • Valid passport or travel document, valid for the whole stay (mandatory)
  • Copies of previous passports to show travel history (suggested)
  • Bank statements or proof of earnings showing where the money comes from and that you can access it. GOV.UK says statements older than 1 year and credit card statements are not useful
  • Employer letter on headed paper (role, salary, length of employment, approved leave), OR school letter confirming enrolment and leave, OR business registration documents / recent invoices if self-employed
  • If someone else pays (sponsor): evidence of what support they give, their ability to pay, your relationship, and their UK immigration status if they live in the UK
  • Invitation letter where relevant (business event organiser, inviting family or organisation describing the visit and who pays)
  • Children under 18: birth or adoption certificate plus a copy of a parent's passport photo page. If not travelling with a parent: a signed consent letter covering who travels with the child and who cares for them in the UK
  • Private medical treatment: a doctor's letter with the condition, cost, duration and where it will happen
  • Transit: a confirmed onward ticket within 48 hours and proof you can enter the destination country
  • TB test certificate only for visits longer than 6 months
  • Certified translations of any document not in English or Welsh
  • Note: GOV.UK says hotel and flight bookings are generally not useful (except for transit), and lists travel insurance as not recommended as evidence

Tips

  • Show where your money comes from, not just a big balance. GOV.UK asks for statements that show the origin of funds and that you can access them, and says statements older than a year are not useful. gov.uk
  • Don't book non-refundable flights before you get a decision; GOV.UK explicitly advises against it. Apply 2–3 months ahead (the earliest you can apply is 3 months before travel). Book a flexible fare if you must hold seats. gov.uk
  • Use only the official GOV.UK application and the VFS Global booking portal. Travel insurance and hotel or flight bookings are not documents GOV.UK says help a visitor application, so don't pay agents for 'visa packages' built on them. gov.uk

Flying to the UK

Once you have your visa, compare flights to London and Manchester in one search, and pay in full or from 25% with Pay Small Small. Book a flexible fare if you need to hold seats before the decision.

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 UK visitor visa from Nigeria in 2026?

Since 8 April 2026: £135 for up to 6 months, £506 for 2 years, £903 for 5 years and £1,128 for 10 years (the 8 October 2026 fee table shows no change). Priority (£500) and Super Priority (£1,000) are extra where offered, and so are any optional VFS services.

How long does a UK visa take in Nigeria?

GOV.UK's standard time for visit visas applied for outside the UK is 3 weeks from your biometrics appointment. Priority usually takes about 5 working days and Super Priority usually decides by the end of the next working day, where available.

Where do I submit biometrics for a UK visa in Nigeria?

At a VFS Global UK visa application centre: Abuja or Lagos (Ikeja, Victoria Island). Premium Application Centres in Enugu, Port Harcourt and Kano cost extra. Book through the official VFS UK-Nigeria portal only.

If I get a 2, 5 or 10-year visa, can I stay longer each time?

No. You can stay a maximum of 6 months on each visit, and your visa can be cancelled if your travel history shows repeated long stays.

Do I get my money back if my UK visa is refused?

No. GOV.UK says fees are not refunded if you are refused or given a shorter visa than you applied for. Priority fees are also usually not refunded if the decision takes longer.

Do Nigerians need a transit visa to connect at Heathrow?

Usually yes. Nigeria is on the list of nationalities that need a visa to transit the UK. Get a DATV (£41.50) if you stay airside, or a Visitor in Transit visa (£74.50) if you pass border control and leave within 48 hours. You don't need one if you hold a UK visitor visa, or a valid US/Canada/Australia/New Zealand visa or an EEA residence permit and you meet the same-day, same-airport airside conditions.

Will I get a visa sticker in my passport?

No, not for new applications. UKVI stopped issuing stickers on 1 July 2026, and approved visitors get an eVisa in their UKVI account. Stickers already issued remain valid until they expire.

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Sources

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