THE United Kingdom has reaffirmed that Nigerian citizens and nationals of over 100 other countries must obtain a visa before travelling to the UK for visits or any form of stay.
The requirement is contained in the updated Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor, published by the UK Home Office, which lists countries and categories of travellers that require entry clearance before arrival in the UK.
The updated guidance states that nationals of listed countries must obtain a visa before travelling unless they qualify for an exemption under other provisions of the UK’s immigration rules.
The rules also specify that the visa requirement applies to stateless persons and travellers using documents other than recognised national passports or qualifying national identity cards, except where such documents have been issued by UK authorities.
The Home Office noted that limited exceptions apply to nationals of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan, with the applicable exemptions outlined elsewhere in the immigration rules.
Nigeria is among over 100 countries and territories, including Afghanistan, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Cameroon, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, whose citizens require visas before entering the UK as visitors.
Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also on the list.
The latest publication does not introduce a new visa requirement for Nigerians but it republishes the UK’s existing visitor immigration rules, which have long classified Nigeria as a visa-national country.
Nigerian passport holders have consistently been required to obtain a visitor visa before travelling to the UK for tourism, business visits, family visits or other short-term stays.
The updated appendix forms part of the UK’s immigration rules governing entry into the country and is periodically revised to reflect changes to immigration policy, exemptions and travel documentation requirements.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.