Documents Required for UK Visa For Nigerian citizens And How to Apply
Traveling outside Nigeria for a scholarship, study, visits, or other reasons is exciting. However, you don’t want to wait till a week before your travel to start sorting your document. In this post, we will show you UK visa requirements for Nigerian citizens and how to apply for a UK visa from Nigeria.
The United Kingdom (UK) is made up of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. So, it is an island nation in northwestern Europe. However, every year, the UK receives about 30,000 travelers. It is one of the top destinations for tourists. So, let’s discuss the documents needed for a UK visa
Documents required for a UK Visa in Nigeria
Here is the list of UK visa requirements for Nigerian citizens.
- Leave Approval. Firstly, you need to get leave approval from work to show as proof of employment
- Passport. A passport that is valid for at least 6 months is essential.
- Bank statement. Request for a six-month bank statement from your bank. If you own a corporate account, request its statement and reference letter too.
- Tax. Get a copy of your tax ready (if available) for your application.
- Payslip. You need to request a 4-month payslip from your employer.
- CAC. If you are self-employed, your business registration document (CAC) is required for a UK visa application. So, you will skip the 5 above.
- Introduction Letter. A letter from your company is mandatory. Ask them to input your details as they are on your passport, your role in the company, your annual salary, and your purpose of visit. It must be addressed to the UK Embassy.
- Invitation Letter. Request an invitation letter from your host if invited. Your host must include your details, their name, passport number, status in the UK, the purpose of the visit, the relationship, and duration of stay.
- Utility Bills. Host’s utility bills should be included in your application if s/he intends to accommodate you during your stay in the UK.
- Host’s documents. Request for the host’s work details and bank statements if they intend to pay part of your expenses in the UK.
- Data Page or Permit. Also, your host must send a copy of the data page or resident permit.
- Accommodation. Lastly, you will have to provide proof of accommodation for the duration of your stay. If your host intends to accommodate you, then their utility bill is essential. For a tourist, a hotel reservation is compulsory.
How To Apply For a UK Visa from Nigeria – Online Process
In order to transmit your application, you must follow this step-by-step process. So, here is how to apply for a UK visa from Nigeria.
- Firstly, visit the UK official website at GOV.UK, to create a user account.
- Click on the Visa and Immigration link and;
- Click on the Visit the UK link.
- Select Standard Visitor Visa. A standard Visitor visa covers leisure (holiday or to see your family and friends), business (taking part in sports, conferences, or creative events), and other reasons like private medical treatment.
- You must fill out the application. Ensure you input a valid email address where a link to your application can be sent, in case you need to continue at a later time.
- Pay the visa fee ($137 for a 6-month UK visa. It is subject to change). You need to acknowledge the information you have put in so far so that you can proceed to the payment section.
- Finally, when you make the payment, it redirects to the TLSContact portal where you can book an appointment for biometrics.
- In the drop-down menu, select where you prefer to take your biometric. You have 3 options, Abuja, Ikeja, and Victoria Island.
- Once you have chosen a location, you cannot undo this process again.
- Please note that Victoria Island Center is more expensive due to tax and other associated costs.
- Please note that when selecting appointment dates, do not select 9 am and 12 am as they are reserved for prime time (24hr) applicants, except if you want the service.
- So when you get an appointment date sent to you via email, you must print it out, and download a checklist that is available to you on the portal.
How to submit the UK visa application
The next step is to submit your UK visa application in Nigeria after you have gathered your supporting documents. Ensure you meet the UK visa requirements in Nigeria before submission. If you need to visit the UK for business, you only replace the host details with your business partner/conference/organizers’ invitation.
Similarly, for applicants who intend to visit the UK for tourism (no invitation), just replace the host details with your hotel reservation and you are good to go! Foreigners in Nigeria who need to put in for UK visa applications in Nigeria must possess a valid CERPAC (resident permit).
UK VISA APPOINTMENT BOOKING
Now, you have 2 options when booking appointments. You either select Self Service or Assisted Service. Self-service gives you the freedom to upload your documents online yourself, so long you can make digital copies of supporting documents. However, Assisted Service comes with a fee (about N11,000).
When you opt-in for Assisted Service, the upload button will not be available for document upload. The upload process can only be done by officers at the TLSContact center. So, be sure the option to choose before proceeding.
Finally, you must go for biometrics and submission on the date you chose while booking your appointment at TLSContact Centre. You can reschedule your appointment a day before your assigned date.
What You Need To Bring To The UK Submission Centre
- Your original International passport (You may opt-in for a Keep My Passport service if you do not want to submit your passport)
- Checklist form • Appointment confirmation (automatically sends to your email)
- Receipt of payment of visa fees and any other associated fees
- Your supporting documents as listed above (you do not need to bring your documents to the submission center if you have uploaded them online using the self-service option. In this case, you come with confirmation of document submission).
Conclusion
Processing time takes 3 weeks after submission. You will be notified via email/SMS when it is ready for collection. However, your application may get a longer processing time if they are trying to go deeper regarding your UK visa requirements in Nigeria. So they may send a mail to you to notify you of this change.
How to apply for the UK visa, click here
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