Over 23% of pregnant Nigerian women insist on giving birth to their children abroad. Be it for show off or access to better medical service or dual citizenship for the child, the number of Nigerians travelling abroad for child birth is constantly on the increase. To a lot of people, giving birth abroad especially in countries like US and Canada is their way of securing their child’s future and making sure the child has the best of both worlds.
Women who wish to give birth abroad put a lot of things into consideration. They have to first find out the cost of the procedure, travelling and be sure they can afford it. They also have to decide what county and state they will be giving birth in and make visa arrangements in earnest. A lot of these women and their families, however, are not aware that they will need a legal backing to travel back to Nigeria with the newborn. The answer to the question “do infants need a Visa to enter Nigeria?” is therefore in the affirmative if the parents have not been able to secure a Nigerian passport for the baby abroad.
There are two ways to get legal backing to travel with an infant giving birth to abroad; the fast and easy route or the long route. Applicants can proceed to the Nigerian embassies abroad and make the application or they can make the application to the Immigration service in Nigeria through an agent in Nigeria. The latter is the fast and easier route. This post will spell out the visa on arrival for newborns application requirements and process taking the fast and easier route.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
• Bio Data Page of the baby’s and Parents’ Passport
• Birth Certificate of the Baby.
• Parents’ letter of consent.
• Two passport sized photos of the baby.
• Flight Ticket
• Application Letter addressed to the Comptroller General of the Nigerian
Immigration Service and executed by the Parent(s)
PROCESS
• The agent in Nigeria files a formal request for business visa on arrival at the Nigerian Immigration Service and gets a Visa on Arrival approval letter which will be sent to the parents.
• Parents can either visit the Nigeria Immigration Portal to pay for the Visa or make an online payment at the airport in Nigeria. Master Card, Visa and American Express card are acceptable. Visa fees are dependent on the nationality of the baby.
• At the Port of Entry, the parent(s) should proceed to the desk marked ‘Visa on Arrival’ for issuance of entry Visa having presented the visa on arrival approval letter, evidence of payment, valid passport with minimum of six months validity and other visa application documents.
Dayo Adu- dayo.adu@famsvillesolicitors.com
Omolola Ahmed -omolola.ahmed@famsvillesolicitors.com
