HOW-TO

How to Apply for a CERPAC Residence Permit in Nigeria

CERPAC lets an expatriate live and work in Nigeria legally. Here is how the STR visa and the online application fit together, what your employer handles, and how to stay compliant.

Step by step

1. Confirm you need CERPAC and have a sponsorCERPAC is for non-ECOWAS foreign nationals who will live and work in Nigeria. It normally rests on a Nigerian employer or sponsor who holds an approved expatriate quota position for your role. Clarify with your employer that a quota slot exists before you start, because the rest of the process depends on it.
2. Obtain the STR visa before you travelWith the quota approval and the employer's documents, apply for a Subject-to-Regularisation (STR) visa at the Nigerian mission in your country of residence. You generally cannot convert an ordinary visitor or business visa into CERPAC, so enter Nigeria on the correct STR visa. Note that an advance e-CERPAC/entry-permit route has been introduced, so check which pathway the NIS currently requires.
3. Enter Nigeria and start the online applicationAfter arrival, the regularisation into CERPAC is lodged through the Nigerian Immigration Service's online platform (the Expatriate Administration System / CERPAC portal). Your employer's immigration contact usually initiates this, uploads documents and makes the online payment. Confirm the correct current portal on immigration.gov.ng rather than a third-party site.
4. Assemble the supporting documentsExpect to provide your passport with the STR visa, passport photographs on a white background, the employer's formal application on letterhead, the expatriate quota approval, your employment letter and credentials, and company registration documents. The exact list is set by the NIS and your category, so follow the portal's checklist.
5. Attend biometrics and collect the cardYou will typically complete biometric capture (photograph and fingerprints) at a designated centre as part of issuance. The CERPAC card and the associated residence documentation are then issued for the approved validity, commonly one to two years for employed expatriates.
6. Track expiry and renew earlyDiarise the expiry date and have your employer file the renewal before the current card lapses. Late regularisation or renewal attracts financial penalties, and gaps in status can complicate re-entry and future applications. Keep copies of every approval and receipt.

What CERPAC is

CERPAC stands for Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card, and it is the document that lets a non-ECOWAS foreign national live and work in Nigeria lawfully. Think of it as Nigeria’s version of a work-and-residence permit rolled into one card. Citizens of ECOWAS member states move under separate regional arrangements, but almost everyone else who is taking up employment and staying for an extended period needs CERPAC. It is issued and administered by the Nigerian Immigration Service under the Federal Ministry of Interior, and it is tied closely to the idea that a Nigerian employer has a genuine, approved need for your skills.

The quota, the visa, the permit

The process is easiest to understand as three linked stages. First comes the expatriate quota: your prospective employer must hold an approved quota position that matches your role, granted through the Ministry of Interior. The quota is the legal basis for bringing in a foreign worker, so nothing else can proceed without it. Second comes the Subject-to-Regularisation visa, usually called the STR visa, which you apply for at the Nigerian embassy or high commission in your country of residence. You travel to Nigeria on that STR visa, not on a tourist or business visa, because the ordinary visitor routes generally cannot be converted into residence. Third comes the regularisation itself, where, after arrival, your status is converted into the CERPAC card for the approved period.

Applying online

The Nigerian Immigration Service has moved these processes online. Rather than shuffling paper between offices, employers now lodge expatriate-quota, business-permit and CERPAC applications through the Immigration Service’s digital platform, uploading documents and paying fees electronically. The Service has also introduced an advance e-CERPAC concept intended to let eligible expatriates obtain an entry permit before they travel, which is designed to reduce the amount of post-arrival regularisation. Because these systems have been changing, do not assume last year’s steps still apply. Start from the official site, immigration.gov.ng, confirm which portal and pathway are currently in use for your category, and ignore lookalike websites that mimic the Service’s branding.

What you and your employer each do

In the typical employed-expatriate case, your sponsoring company does most of the heavy lifting. It holds the quota, prepares the formal application on its own letterhead, submits it through the online system, and often makes the payment. Your part is to supply accurate personal documents and to attend biometric capture when required. The documents usually include your passport bearing the STR visa, passport photographs on a white background, the quota approval, your letter of employment and professional credentials, and the company’s registration papers. The precise checklist is set by the Immigration Service and can vary with your category, so treat the portal’s own list as authoritative and give yourself time to gather certified copies.

Biometrics, issuance and validity

As part of issuance you will generally complete biometric enrolment, meaning a photograph and fingerprints captured at a designated centre, which links the physical card to your identity record. Once processing is complete, the CERPAC card and accompanying residence documentation are issued for the approved validity. For employed expatriates this has commonly been in the range of one to two years, after which it must be renewed. Keep the card on you or accessible, because it is the proof of your right to be resident and working, and you may be asked for it when dealing with banks, landlords or officials.

Fees, timelines and renewals

CERPAC is not cheap, and the amount depends on your category: an employed expatriate pays a different rate from a foreign student, while the spouse of a Nigerian citizen may fall under a separate, sometimes fee-free, arrangement. Published figures circulate widely and are easy to get wrong, and the Ministry has at times publicly corrected rumours about increases, which tells you how much misinformation surrounds the fee. As of 2026, confirm the current charge and the expected processing time directly with the Nigerian Immigration Service or a reputable immigration adviser before you pay anything. On renewals, the single most important habit is to act early: file before the current card expires. Late conversion or renewal attracts penalties, which can be a significant surcharge, and letting your status lapse can complicate re-entry and any future application you make.

Staying safe and compliant

Because the sums involved are large and the process has moving parts, CERPAC attracts fraudsters. Be wary of anyone who promises to skip the STR visa, guarantees approval regardless of your quota position, or asks you to pay into a personal bank account rather than through the official platform. Legitimate charges are paid through the Immigration Service’s own online system, and legitimate advisers do not need you to hand over passport scans and card details to an unverified third party. Verify every web address against immigration.gov.ng, keep copies of all approvals and receipts, and route questions through your employer’s recognised immigration contact. This guide is general information and not legal or immigration advice; given how fact-specific immigration status is, confirm your particular route with the Nigerian Immigration Service or a qualified professional.

SabiGuide is an independent guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Fees, links and steps can change — always confirm on the official portal before you act. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.