How to Apply for a Canada Visitor Visa From Nigeria

Nigerian citizens need a visitor visa, also called a temporary resident visa, to visit or transit through Canada. Nigeria is on the IRCC list of visa-required countries, and it is not one of the countries whose citizens can swap the visa for an electronic travel authorization. So the full process applies: an online application, fees, biometrics and, if the visa is approved, a passport submission.

Most confusion comes from mixing up three different places. The application goes online to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The decision is made by IRCC officers at a visa office outside Nigeria; IRCC's own list says temporary residence applications from Nigeria are served by its Nairobi office. The only place you physically visit in Nigeria is a Visa Application Centre (VAC) run by VFS Global, in Lagos or Abuja, to give biometrics and later to hand over your passport. The High Commission in Abuja is not where you submit a visitor visa file.

This guide is written for applicants living in Nigeria. It is different from our Canada visa from India guide, which follows India's centres and New Delhi checklist, and it is not about the super visa for parents and grandparents, which we cover in our super visa documents guide. Facts come from IRCC pages on canada.ca and the IRCC fee list, checked on 8 November 2026. Confirm on those pages before you pay.

Do Nigerians Need a Visa to Visit Canada?

Yes. IRCC's entry requirements page lists Nigeria among the visa-required countries, so a Nigerian passport holder needs a valid visitor visa and a valid passport to visit or transit through Canada, by air, land or sea. Nigeria is not on the short list of visa-required countries whose citizens may apply for an eTA instead.

A visitor visa covers tourism, visiting family or friends, and business visitor activities such as meetings, events or short training. It is not a work permit. The visa lets you travel to Canada; the officer at the border decides whether you enter and for how long.

Which visitor route fits your trip

IRCC's application page asks why you are travelling and then shows the documents for that purpose. A tourist and a family visitor follow the same visitor visa, with different supporting papers. A business visitor must show a stay of less than 6 months, no plan to enter the Canadian labour market, and a main place of business outside Canada. Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who want long stays should look at the super visa instead, which is a different product with its own insurance and income rules.

Applying from Nigeria as a foreign resident

If you are not Nigerian but live in Nigeria, you can still apply online and give biometrics in Lagos or Abuja. IRCC's application page asks for proof of legal status in your country of residence if it differs from the country on your passport, such as a residence permit.

Where Do You Apply for a Canada Visitor Visa From Nigeria?

IRCC's How to apply page is direct: you must apply online. Paper is allowed only if you cannot apply online, including for reasons of a disability, or if you travel on an identity or travel document issued to a refugee, a stateless person or a non-citizen. For almost every Nigerian applicant, the submission location is your own device.

There are two online options. The IRCC Portal is the standard route and works for families and for people using a representative. The IRCC Portal new version is only for applicants who are 18 or older, applying alone, have never applied to IRCC before and are not using a representative, including family or friends applying for them. To apply online you need a scanner or camera for electronic copies of your documents and a valid credit or debit card.

Three places, three jobs

IRCC's visa office list also says not to contact the visa office unless it reaches out to you first, for example to ask for a missing document. Questions go through IRCC's web form and help centre. IRCC is also clear that VACs do not play any role in decisions and are expressly forbidden from giving visa advice.

Which Canada Visa Fees Are Mandatory and Which Are Optional?

IRCC asks you to pay at the end of the online application, by credit or debit card. In most cases the total includes the processing fee and the biometrics fee for everyone on the application. The card does not have to be in your name.

A family that pays the CAD 500 maximum must apply together at the same time and place, and the children must qualify as dependants. The family biometrics maximum covers a spouse or common-law partner and dependent children. IRCC's fee list and application page are the authority on these figures, so check them on the day you pay.

Two cautions. IRCC warns that if you are applying for the first time you must pay the biometrics fee when you submit, unless exempt, or you may face delays. And booking a biometrics appointment is free; do not pay anyone for an appointment slot.

When Do You Give Biometrics in Lagos or Abuja?

Do not book biometrics before you apply. IRCC's biometrics steps are: pay the fee with your application, wait for the biometric instruction letter (BIL), then book and attend an appointment. For online applications, the BIL arrives in your IRCC account.

IRCC's where to give page says you have 30 days from the time you get your BIL to give your biometrics. If you cannot get an appointment by the deadline, use IRCC's web form to explain, give the date of your appointment and upload a screenshot of the confirmation.

What to bring

• Your BIL, from this application. IRCC warns that using a letter from a previous application may delay or lead to refusal of your current one.
• Your valid passport.
• Glasses are fine if your eyes are clearly visible with no glare; tinted lenses are not. Religious or medical head coverings are allowed if your full face is visible.

Who does not need to give biometrics again

IRCC's when to give page says biometrics for a visitor visa, study or work permit are valid for 10 years and are attached automatically to a new application. IRCC cannot issue a visa beyond the expiry of your biometrics, so if they expire soon you can choose to give them again to get a longer visa. Children under 14 and applicants over 79 are exempt from giving them.

Where Are the Canada Visa Application Centres in Nigeria?

IRCC's Find a visa application centre page lists two Canadian VACs in Nigeria, in Lagos and Abuja. They are private companies under contract with the Government of Canada. They collect biometrics, securely send your passport to the IRCC office and return it with decision documents. IRCC says VACs may also offer computer access to apply online, photo and photocopy services, fee payment and courier return; these extras are optional. If you live outside both cities, you can use whichever centre suits you; IRCC says you can go to any VAC.

Lagos

Canada Visa Application Centre, 2nd Floor, Purplelekki, 2 Purple Way, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, Nigeria. Get directions. This address comes from the VFS Global Lagos centre page, which lists Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00 for business hours and for passport submission and collection.

Abuja

Canada Visa Application Centre, Sterling Bank Plaza, 3rd Floor, Plot No 1083, Mohammadu Buhari Way, Central Business District, Abuja, Nigeria. Get directions. This address comes from the VFS Global Abuja centre page, which lists the same Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00 hours.

Before you set off

• VFS Nigeria's appointment page says a biometrics appointment is mandatory and free, and asks you to arrive 15 minutes early.
• Use the official site found through IRCC to avoid fraud. Appointments are free.
• VFS asks online applicants to bring the BIL, the consent form and the passport.

Illustration created with AI; the person shown is fictional.

What Documents Do You Need for a Canada Visitor Visa From Nigeria?

Everyone needs a digital copy of a valid passport: the page with your birth date and country, plus every page with stamps, visas or markings. IRCC says the passport should be valid for at least 6 months from your travel date, so renew it before you apply if needed. When you apply online, the portal produces a personalised document checklist; upload everything on it.

Documents IRCC lists or recommends for visitors

• Family Information (IMM 5645), if your checklist asks for it.
• Travel history: previous passports and visas used in the last 10 years, entry and exit stamps, and any study or work permits abroad.
• Itinerary: flight details, proof of accommodation, or event registration.
• Bank statements: with the bank's name and contact, your name and address, and at least 6 months of account details including balances.
• Employer letter: on letterhead, dated no earlier than 3 months before you apply, confirming your job, start date, duties, salary, and your manager's name, phone and email, signed.
• Invitation letter: from family, friends or a Canadian business, if relevant.
• Proof of legal status in Nigeria if you are not Nigerian.

Adding Nigeria-specific evidence

IRCC's application page asks where you are applying from and may show additional visa office requirements. Upload these in the IRCC Portal under additional documents, or in the letter of explanation field in the new portal. Typical supporting papers for a Nigerian file include a CAC registration certificate and recent business bank statements if you are self-employed, a school letter if you are a student, and documents for property or dependants in Nigeria. These are examples of evidence of your ties, not a fixed list.

Translations

Most Nigerian documents are in English already. Any document in another language needs a translation; follow the instructions in your portal checklist.

How Do You Prove Funds, Purpose and Ties to Nigeria?

An officer must be satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit and can pay for your stay. Your file should answer three questions clearly.

Can you pay for the trip?

IRCC asks for at least 6 months of bank account details. Statements should show regular income consistent with your job or business, not a sudden large deposit just before you apply. If someone else is paying, include their letter, proof of their funds and how you are related. If you have travelled to Canada or held a US visa in recent years, previous visas in your passport help show your travel record.

Why are you going?

Explain the purpose and dates in a short letter: who you will see, where you will stay and what you will do. For a family visit, IRCC asks for proof of your relationship with the person inviting you, such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate, and a letter of invitation. For business, add a letter from your employer and the Canadian company confirming the dates and nature of the visit, and any registered event code.

What brings you back?

Show your life in Nigeria: a job you are returning to, a business you run, studies, property, spouse and children. An employer letter confirming approved leave and that your position remains is one of the strongest single documents.

What Should an Invitation Letter From Canada Include?

A letter of invitation does not guarantee a visa, but it explains your purpose and connects you to a host. IRCC's invitation letter guidance says it should give your full name, date of birth, address and phone number, your relationship, the purpose and length of the trip, where you will stay, how you will pay and when you will leave. About the host, it should give their full name, date of birth, address and phone number in Canada, job title, whether they are a citizen or permanent resident, and details of their family.

The host should attach a photocopy of proof of their status in Canada, such as a citizenship card or PR card. Writing the letter does not make the host legally responsible for you, but IRCC says it must be truthful. Keep the dates in the letter consistent with your form and your flight reservation; mismatched dates are one of the easiest problems to avoid.

How Do Children and Families Apply?

A child under 18 needs their own visitor visa. Include the child's birth certificate and, if the child is travelling alone or with only one parent, a letter authorising the child to travel to Canada, as IRCC asks. Custody documents may also be needed.

Families can apply together in the IRCC Portal and benefit from the family maximums: CAD 500 processing for 5 or more people and CAD 170 biometrics for an eligible family, if they apply at the same time and place. Children under 14 do not give biometrics, but everyone 14 to 79 does, unless their biometrics are still valid. Each person receives their own BIL.

What Are the Steps From Online Form to Passport Return?

1. Check the purpose. Read IRCC's application page and choose tourist, family or business.
2. Choose your portal. The IRCC Portal for families or representatives; the new portal only if you qualify.
3. Read the instruction guide. IRCC says online applicants can ignore the guide's steps on paying and mailing.
4. Complete the form and upload documents from your personalised checklist.
5. Pay the CAD 100 processing fee per person, plus CAD 85 biometrics if you need to give them, and submit.
6. Wait for the BIL in your IRCC account, then book Lagos or Abuja within 30 days.
7. Attend biometrics with your BIL and passport.
8. Respond to any request for a document, interview or medical exam.
9. If approved, IRCC asks for your passport. Submit it at the VAC, then collect it or have it couriered back.
10. Check the visa in your passport for spelling, dates and entries before you pay for flights.

Illustration created with AI; the people shown are fictional. Landmark reference photo: Taxiarchos228, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

When Do You Submit Your Passport to the VAC?

IRCC's VAC page says you can only submit your passport to a VAC after you get a request letter or email from IRCC. Do not send it early. Some VACs accept passports by mail or courier only. The Lagos and Abuja centre pages list passport submission and collection Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00; check the VFS Nigeria site for current options.

When the passport comes back, the visa in it will show its expiry date and whether it is single or multiple entry. IRCC says a visitor visa can be issued for up to 10 years or until your passport or biometrics expire, whichever comes first, and an officer may set a different date.

How Long Does Processing Take and How Do You Track It?

IRCC publishes a processing times tool for visitor visas from outside Canada. Select Nigeria to see the current estimate. It is an average of recent cases, not a promise. Applications with incomplete documents, late biometrics or requests for more information take longer.

Track progress in your IRCC account. Read every message, because a biometrics letter or a request for documents comes with its own deadline. Do not make firm travel payments until the visa is in your passport.

Do You Need a Flight or Hotel Reservation for a Canada Visa?

IRCC lists flight details and proof of accommodation among the itinerary documents that can show how long you plan to stay. It does not require a paid fare before a decision. A reservation that matches the dates in your form is the practical choice; for hotel proof options, see our hotel reservation guide for Nigerian travellers.

A BookForVisa reservation supports your IRCC upload:

• A flat $15 per person for a flight reservation, and $15 per person for a hotel reservation.
• A real PNR you can check on the airline's own site.
• Valid 48-72 hours, so time it close to when you submit.
• Free date changes on the booking day only.
• It can be issued even while you are at the visa centre.

If you use another provider, a dummy ticket should still be a verifiable reservation whose dates match your form and invitation letter. A reservation supports your file; it does not guarantee a visa.

What Mistakes Do Nigerian Applicants Often Make?

• Going to the High Commission to submit. Visitor visas are applied for online.
• Booking biometrics before applying. Wait for your BIL.
• Missing the 30-day biometrics window. If no slot is available, tell IRCC through its web form.
• Paying an agent for an appointment. Biometrics appointments are free.
• Sending the passport early. Only after IRCC asks.
• Unexplained deposits. Explain any large deposit with evidence of where it came from.
• Mismatched dates across the form, invitation and reservation.
• Buying a full fare before the decision. Wait until the visa is in your passport.

What Does a Realistic Planning Timeline Look Like?

How Is This Guide Different From Other Canada Guides?

Our India Canada guide covers a different country's centres and checklist, and our super visa guide covers parents and grandparents on long stays. From Nigeria, the essentials are: no eTA option, online application only, a Nairobi visa office for temporary residents, VACs in Lagos and Abuja, a 30-day biometrics window, and passport submission only after IRCC asks.

What Is the Final Checklist for a Canada Visitor Visa From Nigeria?

1. Confirm your purpose and that a visitor visa fits.
2. Choose the IRCC Portal option.
3. Upload passport pages, funds, ties and purpose documents.
4. Pay CAD 100 per person, plus CAD 85 biometrics if required.
5. Book Lagos or Abuja within 30 days of your BIL.
6. Answer any IRCC requests.
7. Submit your passport only when asked.
8. Check the visa before paying for flights.

Header image: illustration created with AI; the person shown is fictional. Landmark reference photo of Moraine Lake: Gorgo, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Friendly reminder: BookForVisa prepares flight and hotel reservations to support visa applications and onward-travel proof. Requirements vary by destination, consulate, visa category and applicant situation. A reservation supports your file; it is not a paid ticket for travel and does not guarantee visa approval or entry.