Section 20: Visa requirements and conditions and power to issue visa.

(1) The power to issue visa shall be vested in the Comptroller-General of lmmigration.
(2) Application for visa shall be made to the Comptroller-General of lmmigration or to the appropriate Nigerian Diplomatic Mission established abroad.
(3)
Visa shall be issued in such Diplomatic Missions by the lmmigration Attache:
Provided that where no lmmigration Attache is available in any Mission, that duty shall be performed by any other officer designated for the purpose by the Head of Mission.
(4) On the receipt of an application for visa, the officer in charge of issuance of visa shall, in the case of-
(a) a person visiting Nigeria, if satisfied that it is proper, issue a visa;
(b) crew seeking permission to land in Nigeria, issue appropriate visa ;
(c)
persons falling within the categories listed below seeking entry into Nigeria issue appropriate visa to-
(i) diplomatic or government officials of countries other than Nigeria,
(ii) personnel of the United Nations organization and its agencies,
(iii) personnel of the African Union and its agencies,
(iv) personnel of Economic Community of West African States and its agencies,
(v) personnel of international and non-governmental organizations,
(vi) persons seeking entry under any technical aid scheme,
(vii) special organised economic and trade delegations,
(viii) other specialised delegation, and
(ix) persons specially invited by the Federal, State and Local Governments of Nigeria ;
(d)
a person seeking entry into Nigeria for the purpose of taking up employment under a contract of service with the Federal, State or Local Government of Nigeria (other than by way of technical aid), his spouse and dependants, on the production by that person of the contract of service or such other evidence as may be satisfactory to the Comptroller-General of Immigration, issue the appropriate visa ;
(e) a person seeking entry into Nigeria for the purpose of taking up employment in Nigeria, refer the application to the Comptroller-General of Immigration.
(5) Where no diplomatic Nigerian Mission is established in the country concerned, an application shall be made to the nearest Nigerian Mission if-
(a) there is an agreement between Nigeria and the government of that country for the performance by that government of consular functions on behalf of Nigeria, be made to that government ; and
(b) there is no such agreement, be made to such Diplomatic Mission as may be designated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
(6) Nothing in this section shall apply to-
(a) persons who, after a tour of duty with the Federal, State or any Local Government, Corporation or Company owned or controlled by any such government, are abroad on leave with the intention of resuming duty in Nigeria thereafter ;
(b) spouse and children of person within paragraph (a) of this subsection ;
(c) persons otherwise employed in Nigeria and their spouses and dependants who before departure on leave apply for and obtain a re-entry visa from the Comptroller-General of Immigration ; and
(d) transit passengers who remain in or in the vicinity of the port of entry for a period of time not exceeding 48 hours.
(7) The Comptroller-General of Immigration shall authorise the issuance of Short Visit Visas at the port of entry to frequent travel business persons of international repute, executive directors of multinational companies, members of government delegations, holders of United Nations Laissez-passer, Africa Union Laissez-passer, Economic Community of West African States Laissez-passer, and holders of any other official travel documents of other recognized international organisations, who are on short visits to Nigeria.