The United Kingdom appears to be a top-notch country to visit especially for Nigerians, which is why the question keeps popping up ‘How can I travel from Nigeria to the UK? Stay tuned as we give you the guide on how to travel from Nigeria to the UK.
How To Travel From Nigeria To The UK
You can apply for a variety of UK visas based on your reasons for wanting to relocate from Nigeria to the UK. Each tier has its own set of eligibility requirements, and you’ll need to provide sufficient evidence to support your claim and demonstrate that you’re eligible for the visa you desire.
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How to Apply for a UK Visa?
The process of applying for a UK visa varies greatly depending on the type of visa you are applying for. Particularly if your visa falls under the category of a points-based system. While most of the requirements for each category are the same, the way in which they are evaluated in the system varies. In addition, the requirements differ from category to category.
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When Can I Apply for a UK Visa?
To get a visa for the United Kingdom, you must apply at least three months in advance of your intended arrival date. The processing time for your visa application is three weeks at most. Apply well ahead of time to ensure that the consulate has enough time to process your visa.
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Requirements for UK Visa
Every applicant for a UK visa must meet a set of standard requirements. Each visa type and each applicant’s country of origin have its own set of rules.
To apply for a visa to the United Kingdom, you must submit the following documents:
If you are applying for a UK visa, you may be required to fill out the online application form at the Visa4UK website, or you may be required to fill out the manual application form.
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- Two passport photographs. Photos taken within the last six months and in color are preferred.
- Valid International Passport. Three months beyond the date you plan to leave Britain after your trip, it must be valid. A blank visa page is also required.
- Proof that you can afford to live in the UK while you are here. Your bank statements or pay stubs from the last six months could be included here.
- Accommodation proof. You will be required to submit a document indicating where you will be staying while in the United Kingdom.
- A detailed plan for your trip. Submit a travel itinerary that includes all the details of your trip to the UK. Include the dates and locations of your upcoming travels, as well as the details of any pre-booked tours, meetings, or festivals you’ll be attending.
- Testing for tuberculosis A Tuberculosis Test will be required of nationals from a number of countries in order to obtain a UK visa.
- Details about your biometrics. Submitting biometric data is required if your visa allows you to stay in the UK for more than six months Fingerprints and a photo of your face are required to be taken at an application center.
- Invitation letter for a visa to the United Kingdom. If necessary. A letter of invitation is required if you plan to spend the night with a friend or family member. A legal resident of the United Kingdom is required to host you.
- Fees for a visa to the United Kingdom have been paid in full. You must submit a receipt for the visa fee payment to prove that you have done so.
- Any document that isn’t in English or Welsh can have its translations verified.
Other Requirements
You’ll need to submit additional paperwork depending on your employment status:
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- An official letter from your company. In this letter, you should be able to confirm your position, salary, and length of employment at your current employer.
- If you’re self-employed, you’ll also need these. They should verify the owner’s name and the date the business began trading.
- An official letter from your educational institution. Your enrollment and leave of absence should be confirmed in the letter.
Applicants should be aware of any additional requirements Applicants under the age of 18 are required to submit a few extra documents. Below is a list of these documents:
- Certificate of Birth
- Legal documents pertaining to adoption (if applicable).
- If you’re not going with your parents, here’s what you should do:
- A letter from the minor’s parents, signed, confirming the identity of anyone traveling with him or her.
- A copy of the passport’s biographical page for the parents or legal guardians of the child(ren).
Entry Requirements to The UK Port
You’ll have to present some documentation to border agents when entering the United Kingdom.
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The EU/EEA channel can be used to check your documents if you’re an EU/EEA national. You only need a government-issued ID or passport to enter. Children must be accompanied by an adult if they are under the age of 17.
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Non-EU/EEA nationals arriving in the United Kingdom must present the following documents:
- Presenting a current, valid passport is required.
- Ascending Card Please contact your carrier for this. Fill it out before you get to the border checkpoint.
- Visa is a form of identification (if applicable)
What is the Points-Based System (PBS)?
The British Point-Based System (PBS) as a replacement for the previous system, which was far more cumbersome and difficult to understand, visas are now used to control international immigration to the United Kingdom.
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Candidates for visas are scored according to their ability to meet the requirements of the PBS system, which is a point-based system. In order to be eligible for a visa, a candidate must meet the point requirements for each visa requirement.
Types of UK Visas
There are a variety of reasons why people apply for a visa to the United Kingdom. Because of this, the United Kingdom has a well-structured visa system based on the purpose of the visitor under various visa types.
The following are the types of UK visa available:
- Study Visas.
- Work Visas.
- Settlement Visas.
- Visitor Visas.
- Business Visas.
- Family Visas.
- Work and Business Visas
- Transit Visas.
In addition to its strict rules, which prevent many visa holders from finding work, the UK offers Working Visas specifically for high-end experts from other countries who want to work and live in the UK for shorter or longer periods.
Categories of Visas for workers and businesspeople
Expats with exceptional credentials:
Global Talent Visa
- Skilled foreign workers who have been offered employment in a shortage area
- Tier 2 Visa (Intra-company Transfer)
- Tier 2 Visa (General)
- Tier 2 Visa (Minister of Religion)
- Tier 2 Visa (Sportsperson)
Youth mobility and temporary international workers category
- Tier 5 Visa (Youth Mobility Scheme)
- Tier 5 Visa (Temporary Worker)
UK Business Visa Category:
- Tier 1 Visa (Entrepreneur)
- Tier 1 Visa (Graduate Entrepreneur)
- Tier 1 Visa (Investor)
Student Visas
The following are types of student visas issued to applicants based on their various study plans;
Categories of UK student visas
- Tier 4 Student Visa (General)
- Tier 4 Student Visa (Child)
- Short-Term Study Visas
Visas for Travelers and Visitors
The United Kingdom is a popular tourist destination for both short and long-term stays. Short-term stays, vacations, and other similar activities are permitted with a UK Visitor Visa. The British government rarely issues a tourist visa for more than six months at a time. This type of visa, like many others, does not allow foreign nationals to work in the United Kingdom.
When it comes to short business trips, things are a little more predictable.
The Categories Of Visas For Tourists And Visitors
- Visa for Married Couples
- The parent of a student with a Tier 4 (Child) visa
- Visas that allow for paid employment
- Visa for Short-Term Study
- Visa for a Visitor to the United Kingdom
- A family visa for a group of Chinese tourists
Family Visa
It is possible to travel to the UK to see family members with a UK Family Visa. If you have a family member in the UK and want to join them for more than six months as a dependent, this visa type is for you! Families with children, parents, or other members of the couple’s immediate or extended family can be considered to be dependent on the person who is the breadwinner, whether he or she is the husband or wife (spouse).
Types of visas for family members
- UK Visas for spouses
- UK Visa for parents
- UK Visa for minors
Transit Visas
The UK Transit Visa is for non-EEA (EU countries, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and non-Swiss nationals who are passing through the UK on their way to their final destination and need a visa for this purpose. With this visa, you can apply for a long-term transit visa if you have enough proof that you must travel frequently through the UK in order to get to your final destination, but you do not intend to stay in the UK long-term. Visas for long-term transit can be granted for a period of one to ten years.
Various Forms Of Transit Visas
- People who must change flights in the UK without leaving the airport are eligible for a Direct Airside Transit Visa (DATV)
- Foreign nationals who must leave the airport and change modes of transportation to continue their journey across the country can apply for a Visitor in Transit Visa. This visa has a four-day maximum validity.
Refugee Visa
The temporary refugee visas are meant for people who wants to enter the UK and are at the borders because they had to flee their country because their lives were seriously threatened. This visa can only be applied for in the United Kingdom.
The visa is only valid until the visa holder is no longer in danger and can return to their home country. Foreign nationals who are not citizens of any other country can apply for a visa for stateless persons in the United Kingdom. Extending the validity of this visa is possible for a period ranging from two to six years.
UK Residence Permits
Long-term visitors who wish to remain in the UK permanently but have been here on a temporary visa can apply for the UK Settlement permit, also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain. It is for those who have been away from the UK for at least two years and wish to return, or whose passport was lost, that the visa is issued.
Citizens of other countries who have refugee or humanitarian status in the United Kingdom and wish to remain there permanently or return to be with family. Most of these visas require a minimum of five years of residence in the UK for the applicant.
Electronic Visa Waiver
Those from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE who wish to visit the UK for up to six months on business, vacation or study will be able to do so with the help of the Electronic Visa Waiver.
In order to visit the United Kingdom for longer periods of time, citizens of these countries will need to apply for a different visa type.
How To Apply For Electronic Visa Waiver
You can apply for this visa as early as three months in advance of your travel date, and as late as two days before your departure. Everyone must apply separately for this visa, as there is no way to include dependents.
Obtaining this visa is simple, and all that is required is the following data:
- Location of the candidate’s residence in the United Kingdom;
- Schedule of travel, including intended dates of arrival and departure
- The visa application fee is £15 and must be paid by the applicant.
- It is possible to make changes to the information on this visa as necessary, such as changing the airport, train station, bus station where you will arrive in the UK, or changing the time at which you will enter the country.
- A link to the visa will be sent to the candidate’s e-mail address within one day of the candidate’s submission of the application. As a result, it is required to be printed and displayed at the UK border when entering.
What Must I Know as a UK Visa holder?
When entering the UK from another country, even if you have a valid visa, you may be stopped by Immigration Control (and possibly even detained). Also, visas can be revoked at the border if necessary.
To commit an offense, you must violate your visa terms while in the UK or outside.
Must I Book A Flight to Apply for a UK Visa?
Booking a flight for a visa application to the United Kingdom is not required.. Without one, you can apply to the UK government. However, It is still necessary to submit a travel itinerary that details the dates you intend to enter and leave the country.
How Long Does it Take to Get a UK Visa?
The processing of a UK visa can take up to three weeks. There are a number of variables that influence the time it takes for a UK Visa application to be processed. Your specific situation, as well as the volume of applications being received by the UK consulate/visa processing center at the time, are among these considerations.
Can I Get My Visa Faster?
Using the ‘priority service’ or even the ‘super-priority service’ when submitting your application may be possible depending on the type of visa you are applying for.
For an additional fee of £500, you can get a decision on your application in five working days. Instead, you can pay £800 for ‘super priority service,’ which includes a decision by the end of the next business day in exchange for an additional £800 in visa fees.
Possible Reasons Why Your Visa May Be Denied
The following are some of the most likely reasons why UK visas are denied:
- Documents are missing. Application rejections are most frequently due to this. The embassy will reject your application if you don’t submit the one missing piece of documentation. What you haven’t submitted will not be returned. You’ll have to start from scratch.
- Documents that contain incorrect or inconsistent information.
- There is a lack of financial resources to keep you in the United Kingdom.
- Not being able to communicate effectively in English.
- Documents aren’t organized correctly.
If My Visa is Denied, What Do I Do?
Applicants who have been turned down for a visa to the UK have two options: give up or reapply. Don’t make the same mistake again when reapplying or improve your circumstances to meet the requirements.
An appeal on the basis of human rights. If your visa application is denied, you should have solid grounds for an appeal.
Obtain a judicial review of the decision. If you believe that your application was rejected illegally or irrationally, or if you believe that your application file was unfairly processed, you can file a complaint.
Will I get a refund?
No, If you paid the fee, you can’t get it back. It is impossible to get a refund if your visa application is rejected or if you decide to withdraw your application while it is being processed, because the fee covers the costs of processing your application.
In addition, if your first application for a UK visa is rejected, you will have to pay the fee again when you reapply.
How Can Nigerians Apply for UK Permanent Residency?
If you meet certain requirements, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK and obtain permanent residence in the country. If your application is accepted, you will be able to remain in the UK with no restrictions on your immigration. As a result, you will not be able to vote in the United Kingdom or obtain a British passport until you apply for and receive British citizenship.
Applicants from Nigeria must meet the following requirements in order to apply for a UK visa:
You must have been legally residing in the UK for at least five years before applying.
The maximum number of days you can spend away from the UK in a calendar year is 180.
You’ll have to show that you’re fluent in English and familiar with British culture.
How much does UK Visa Cost?
The cost of UK visas in Nigeria from the rate of $132 – $503 depending on the type of visa you are applying for.
Can a Nigerian live and work in UK?
Tier 1 (General) Visas are no longer available through the UK Boarder Agency for foreign nationals. For those who want to work in the United Kingdom, Tier 2 visas are open to them (General).
How Long Can A Nigerian Stay In The UK?
Applying for a Standard Visitor Visa, which allows up to six months of stay in the United Kingdom, is required if you’re thinking about visiting the country for vacation.
How Long Does UK Visa Take To Process For Nigerian Applicants?
Visit and non-settlement visa applications submitted to the Visa Application Centre must be processed within 15 working days, according to the global service standard set by UK Visas & Immigration
Is it easy to get job in UK?
In London, finding a job isn’t difficult, but it’s a crowded market. In order to be noticed, you must stand out from the rest. Because different industries have different demands and standards, it’s important to do your homework before applying for jobs in order to find the best fit.
Conclusion
Getting a UK Visa in order to travel into the UK might seem like much of a task but once you identify the type of visa suitable for your purpose of visit to the UK, then you should be good to go.
