Canada Visitor Visa From Nigeria
Nigeria is a visa-required country, so Nigerians need a temporary resident visa (TRV), not an eTA. You apply online on form IMM 5257, pay $100 plus $85 for biometrics, and give biometrics at a VFS Global centre in Lagos or Abuja. On IRCC's November 4, 2026 figures, processing from Nigeria took 103 days.
$100
IRCC’s visitor visa fee, per person
$85
Biometrics fee, per person, unless you are exempt
103 days
IRCC’s processing time for a visitor visa applied for from Nigeria, updated November 4, 2026
IRCC sets the fees in Canadian dollars; biometrics are up to $170 for a family applying together. IRCC updates the processing time often. The Processing Times page shows the current figure.
Why do Nigerians need a visa and not an eTA?
Canada divides foreign travellers into two groups: visa-exempt nationalities, who can fly to Canada with an eTA, and visa-required nationalities, who must obtain a temporary resident visa before they travel. Nigeria is on the visa-required list, so a Nigerian passport holder needs a TRV to enter Canada by any means. Under IRPR s.7.01 the eTA also covers citizens of a short list of visa-required countries flying in, and Nigeria is not on that list.
A TRV is a counterfoil (a visa sticker) that a visa office places in your passport. It lets you travel to a Canadian port of entry; a border services officer then decides whether to admit you and for how long. The visa itself does not guarantee entry.
A visitor visa covers a short stay such as tourism, visiting family, or a business meeting. To study or work you need a different document (a study permit or work permit) with its own rules.
The rule
Nigeria is a visa-required country, so a Nigerian passport holder needs a temporary resident visa, not an eTA.
How do you apply from Nigeria?
Create a secure IRCC account
You apply online by creating a secure IRCC account. IRCC accepts paper only from those who cannot apply online, for example because of a disability or a travel document issued to a refugee or stateless person.
Complete the forms
The core form is IMM 5257 (Application for Temporary Resident Visa). IRCC’s page also lists the Family Information form (IMM 5645).
Upload your documents and pay the fees
Upload your supporting documents and pay the fees, which are set in Canadian dollars. A medical exam is required only in certain cases.
$100 visa, $85 biometrics
Give biometrics in Lagos or Abuja
After you submit, IRCC sends a biometrics instruction letter telling you to book your appointment. Unless you are exempt, you give fingerprints and a photo in person at a VFS Global visa application centre in Lagos or Abuja. Biometrics given within the last 10 years are automatically attached to your new visitor visa application.
Wait for the decision
IRCC shows the processing time by the country you apply from and updates it. Your account lets you check the status of the application.
103 days
Which documents does IRCC ask for?
Plan to provide:
- A valid passport: IRPR s.52(1) asks for one that is valid for the whole period authorized for your stay
- The completed forms and a recent photo that meets the specifications
- Proof that you can pay for your trip and your time in Canada: IRCC’s page recommends a bank account statement with at least 6 months of account details and a letter from your employer
- Your purpose of travel, such as an invitation letter from your host in Canada or a letter from the inviting company
- Evidence of ties, such as a job, a home, financial assets or family, that will take you back to Nigeria
- Documents on your travel history and your itinerary, which IRCC’s page also recommends
An invitation letter supports your application but does not guarantee a visa, and it does not replace your own evidence of funds and ties. IRCC says you won’t be allowed into Canada if you give false or incomplete information.
What must the officer be satisfied of?
IRCC asks you to convince an officer that you have ties that will take you back to your home country, that you will leave Canada at the end of your visit, and that you have enough money for your stay. The burden of proof is on you, and the application is assessed as a whole.
Dual intent is legal in Canada: wanting to apply for permanent residence one day does not, by itself, make you ineligible for a visitor visa, as long as the officer is satisfied you will leave at the end of your authorized stay.
What happens if the visa is refused?
IRCC’s help centre names two of the reasons an application may be refused: the officer wasn’t satisfied that you’d leave Canada by the end of your authorized stay, or you’re inadmissible to Canada. Your refusal letter lists the reason or reasons.
You can apply again at any time unless your decision letter says you can’t, and IRCC says to do so only with information you didn’t include before. If you believe the decision was unreasonable or there was an error in law or fairness, you can apply to the Federal Court for leave and judicial review.
Since July 29, 2025, IRCC sends the officer’s decision note with the refusal letter for most temporary resident applications. A fuller record (often called GCMS notes) can still be asked for under the Privacy Act.
Which free tool checks your own case?
- Document ChecklistTypical documents by application type
- Processing TimesIRCC wait times by program
- Fee CalculatorCurrent government fees, itemized
Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.
What do people ask?
Do Nigerians need a visa to visit Canada?
Yes. Nigeria is a visa-required country, so a Nigerian passport holder needs a temporary resident visa (TRV) to visit Canada, by air, land or sea. The eTA is for visa-exempt nationalities and for a short list of visa-required countries under IRPR s.7.01, and Nigeria is not on that list. You get the visa before you travel, and a border officer still decides entry. The eTA vs Visitor Visa Canada guide explains the difference.
What is the Canada visitor visa processing time from Nigeria?
On IRCC's figures updated November 4, 2026, a visitor visa applied for from Nigeria took 103 days from a complete application to a decision. IRCC updates this figure often and it varies with volume, so check it again before you plan travel, and do not buy non-refundable tickets before you have a decision. The Processing Times page shows the current figure for Nigeria and every other country.
How much is the Canada visitor visa fee from Nigeria?
The visitor visa fee is CAD $100 per person, plus a CAD $85 biometrics fee per person, up to CAD $170 for a family applying together. IRCC sets the fees in Canadian dollars. A medical exam is needed only in some cases. Confirm the fees before you pay. The Fee Calculator adds up the total for your family.
How do I apply for a Canada visitor visa from Nigeria?
You apply online through a secure IRCC account on form IMM 5257, the Application for Temporary Resident Visa, with the IMM 5645 Family Information form that IRCC's page lists. You upload your documents, pay the fees, then wait for a biometrics instruction letter telling you to book an appointment. Your account lets you check the status of the application. The Visitor Visa Canada guide walks through each step.
Where do I give biometrics in Nigeria?
At a VFS Global visa application centre in Lagos or Abuja, in person. Unless you are exempt, you give fingerprints and a photo after IRCC sends a biometrics instruction letter; IRCC says to book the appointment as soon as possible. Biometrics are valid for 10 years: if you gave them within the last 10 years, they are automatically attached to your new visitor visa application. The Biometrics for Canadian Immigration guide explains the appointment, the fee and the exemptions.
What documents are required for a Canada visitor visa from Nigeria?
A passport valid for your stay, the completed forms, a recent photo that meets the specifications, and proof of funds: IRCC recommends a bank account statement with at least 6 months of details and an employer letter. Add evidence of your purpose, such as an invitation letter for a family visit, and evidence of your ties to Nigeria: work, business, family, property or studies. Officers assess the whole package. The Proof of Funds for a Visitor Visa guide covers the financial papers.
Why are strong ties to Nigeria so important?
Because the burden is on you to satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay. Ties such as stable work, a business, dependent family, property or studies are the real reasons you have to return. Document your true situation; never invent or exaggerate, because misrepresentation under IRPA s.40 carries a five-year ban. The Visitor Visa Refused guide shows how officers weigh ties.
What are common reasons Canada refuses a visitor visa?
IRCC names two: the officer wasn't satisfied you'd leave Canada by the end of your authorized stay, or you're inadmissible. Weak funds, ties the officer did not find strong enough, an unclear purpose, or incomplete or contradictory documents can lie behind the first. Your refusal letter lists the reasons, and since July 29, 2025 the officer's decision note comes with it for most temporary resident applications. A fuller record can be asked for under the Privacy Act. The Visitor Visa Refused guide explains your options.
Part of:Visiting Canada
- US Green Card Holders: Entering & Immigrating to Canada
- Super Visa Income Requirements 2026
- Can You Work or Study on a Visitor Visa in Canada?
The textbook on this subject
Volume 1: Entering Canada $79
Six IRPA inadmissibility grounds (s.36 and s.38 to s.42), explained with the official text cited.
Follow on Facebook to hear when the library opens (opens in a new tab)Official sources
This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.