Niger-Wife (CERPAC) Visa

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

My passport expires in 2016 and hubby and I are traveling to Nigeria this summer and plan on getting the Niger-wife visa while we are there, so that if we travel again to Nigeria, I won't have to go through the trouble of getting another tourist visa.

My question though is: Does anyone know if the Niger-wife visa can be transferred to a new passport or is it only good for the life of the passport that it's affixed to?

[nigerwife 17]

Good question. I have a NigerWife visa, but received it in a new passport that doesn't expire until 2018. I would assume it can be transferred, but will take another trip to the local Immigration office in Nigeria to do so. Doesn't really matter since it doesn't cost any money anyway. You could check with the Nigerian Embassy in DC maybe.

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

Good question. I have a NigerWife visa, but received it in a new passport that doesn't expire until 2018. I would assume it can be transferred, but will take another trip to the local Immigration office in Nigeria to do so. Doesn't really matter since it doesn't cost any money anyway. You could check with the Nigerian Embassy in DC maybe.

Thanks so much for your response! I will be getting a tourist visa for this trip at the Nigerian Embassy in NYC so I will ask them at that point.

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

Good question. I have a NigerWife visa, but received it in a new passport that doesn't expire until 2018. I would assume it can be transferred, but will take another trip to the local Immigration office in Nigeria to do so. Doesn't really matter since it doesn't cost any money anyway. You could check with the Nigerian Embassy in DC maybe.

May I ask which immigration office you went to in Nigeria? Was it in Lagos? And when you requested this type of visa, did you request it by asking for a "Niger Wife" visa or did you call it something else? Did you have to tip them at the immigration office?

Thanks for your advice

Edited April 23, 2014 by DebbyNSeyi

[nigerwife 17]

We lived in Jos, so we got it at the local office there. We don't typically "dash" unless it is someone we know and we are trying to help out--so I can't actually remember if we did or not since it was six years ago.

I received a Nigerwife visa/residency page in my passport as well as an actual CERPAC certificate that is on an 8X11 paper. When I traveled in and out often, I always had the CERPAC but was never asked to present it. I think it may have been replaced more recently with a CERPAC card (like a laminated ID).

The visa is free and never expires and we had it within a couple days. Complete opposite experience of getting my husband residency here in the US!

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

We lived in Jos, so we got it at the local office there. We don't typically "dash" unless it is someone we know and we are trying to help out--so I can't actually remember if we did or not since it was six years ago.

I received a Nigerwife visa/residency page in my passport as well as an actual CERPAC certificate that is on an 8X11 paper. When I traveled in and out often, I always had the CERPAC but was never asked to present it. I think it may have been replaced more recently with a CERPAC card (like a laminated ID).

The visa is free and never expires and we had it within a couple days. Complete opposite experience of getting my husband residency here in the US!

Your input and responses are invaluable and I appreciate it so much. There is so little information out there on this subject. Thanks again.

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

I have one additional question about the Nigerwife visa. Does having this visa and CERPAC certificate mean that I don't have to keep applying for a tourist visa every time we want to travel to Nigeria?

[nigerwife 17]

Yep--that's exactly what it means! It's basically a residency visa for Nigeria. Kind of like the US green card. In fact, if you really wanted to, you could get a Nigerian passport. Some people on this forum have, but I don't see how that is any better than the Nigerwife visa unless you travel extensively within West Africa and want to take advantage of the ECOWAS benefits.

[Khadara 1]

hmmm interesting. my wife is coming in May. can my wife apply for it or she should get the Nigerian Passport. she was thinking of getting Nigerian Passport.

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

I thought that there were residency requirements to get a Nigerian Passport. We don't plan on living there, just visiting, so it sounds like, for us, a Nigerwife visa is the way to go

Also - just playing devils advocate here, assuming the only country you travel to in West Africa is Nigeria, why bother with a Nigerian passport when you can get the Nigerwife visa? As I understand, the passport has to be renewed every 5 years and the Nigerwife visa doesn't expire at all!

[Aya820 33]

Debby, I'm with you on that. If I were to get anything it would be the Nigerwife Visa also. Can't see the point or purpose of getting a Nigerian passport if the visa is unlimited. Plus using the Nigerian Passport to enter Nigeria will limit certain benefits, if not all, if the American Embassy is needed. #ijs

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

Debby, I'm with you on that. If I were to get anything it would be the Nigerwife Visa also. Can't see the point or purpose of getting a Nigerian passport if the visa is unlimited. Plus using the Nigerian Passport to enter Nigeria will limit certain benefits, if not all, if the American Embassy is needed. #ijs

But even if you enter Nigeria with a Nigerian passport, you are STILL an American citizen. So how does that limit your benefits should you need help from the American Embassy? Does it matter if you have dual citizenship?

[DebbyNSeyi 15]

Yep--that's exactly what it means! It's basically a residency visa for Nigeria. Kind of like the US green card. In fact, if you really wanted to, you could get a Nigerian passport. Some people on this forum have, but I don't see how that is any better than the Nigerwife visa unless you travel extensively within West Africa and want to take advantage of the ECOWAS benefits.

If you would be so kind as to answer another question for me, I would really appreciate it

Before I go the the immigration office in Nigeria to apply for the Niger wife visa, do I need to go to the Nigerian Embassy here in New York where I live and apply for a visa called STR? Is this required to get the Nigerwife visa?

Or, do I just need to get a regular tourist visa for this trip and then just go and apply for the Nigerwife visa once I get there? So much confusing info out there!

[camden 20]

When we visited Immigration in Nigeria we were advised that I needed the Subject to Regularization (STR) visa in order to get the Nigerwife designation. It can't be done with a tourist visa.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

But even if you enter Nigeria with a Nigerian passport, you are STILL an American citizen. So how does that limit your benefits should you need help from the American Embassy? Does it matter if you have dual citizenship?

Because the US embassy first responsibility on event of a crisis is to rescue US citizens on foreign soil, if you are a Nigerian citizen you technically are not of foreign soil you are home and not in desperate need. Same when it comes to legal issues. It isn't the US governments policy to intercede between a government and that governments citizens.