There are foreigners who intend to visit Nigeria for specific business purposes but do not intend to live permanently in Nigeria. Since a foreigner cannot do business or practice any profession in Nigeria without CERPAC, foreigners who are in Nigeria for a short period of time for business purposes may not require a CERPAC but can apply for a Temporary Work Permit. The temporary work permit visa is therefore a single-entry visa suitable for foreigners who intend to work in Nigeria for a short period of time.
A foreigner cannot apply for a temporary work permit without the help of the company where he intends to work. It is important for such company to note that no foreigner can be allowed to work with them without first obtaining an expatriate quota. For a foreigner to be eligible for a temporary work visa, the company must show that the services of the expat are needed in areas including sales installation, commissioning, upgrading/maintenance, repairs of equipment and machinery, training amongst others.
Being a temporary visa, unlike the CERPAC, the temporary work permit is usually granted for a short period of time usually 2 months. Upon application of the company, it can be further extended for a period of 6 months. This work permit is granted by the Comptroller General of Immigration.
The expat must have the following requirements in order to apply for a temporary work permit:
- Visa approval letter. This must be valid for at least 90 days from the date of issuance.
- International Passport which must be valid for at least 6 months before expiration. It must also have at least 2 blank pages for visa endorsement.
- 2 passport sized photographs (35/40mm) taken on a white background within a maximum period of 6 months.
- Duly completed visa form IMM22 obtained from the Nigeria Immigration.
- Evidence of payment of visa fee.
The documents to be attached with the application from the company include:
- The company’s profile.
- Certificate of incorporation.
- CAC Forms CO2 (Particulars of Shareholders) and CO7 (Particulars of Directors).
- Copy of data page of the expatriate’s international passport.
- Evidence of existing contract or purchase/importation of machinery or equipment or any other document which may show the need for the expatriate.