Oya Visa
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A German trip from Nigeria splits into two clear tracks, and picking the right one from the start saves weeks. For short visits you apply for a Schengen short-stay visa. For anything long-term, work, study or family, you apply for a national visa (type D).
You submit both at the German mission through VFS Global in Lagos or Abuja. The forms are not the hard part. What decides the outcome is whether your documents prove your purpose, your funds and your reason to return to Nigeria.
This is the type C visa for trips of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. It covers tourism, visiting family and friends, and business meetings or conferences.
Apply for the German Schengen visa when Germany is your main destination, meaning where you spend the most days, or your first point of entry if the days are equal across countries. Once granted, it lets you travel across the whole Schengen area.
Documents checklist:
Fee: around 90 euros for adults as of 2026, plus the VFS service fee. Confirm the current amount on the official German mission website before you book.
If you will stay longer than 90 days, you need a national visa. This covers work, study, vocational training and family reunion. After arrival you convert it into a residence permit at the local immigration office.
Two routes matter most for skilled Nigerians:
National visas also cover student visas (with proof of university admission and a blocked account showing funds for living costs) and family reunion (with marriage or birth certificates and proof the sponsor can support you).
Fee: around 75 euros for the national visa as of 2026. Confirm the current amount on the official German mission website.
Book your appointment early. Slots in Lagos and Abuja fill up fast, especially before summer and the end of the year.
The same issues account for most Nigerian refusals:
Every one of these is fixable before you submit. A short cover letter that ties your documents together and states your purpose plainly is one of the highest-impact things you can add.
We review your documents the way a German visa officer will, flag the weak spots before you submit, and make sure your purpose, funds and ties are presented clearly. See our pricing or compare destinations on our visa guides hub. Many Nigerians also read our Schengen visa guide and UK visa guide.
The short-stay Schengen visa is around 90 euros for adults as of 2026, paid in Naira at the rate shown when you book. You also pay a VFS Global service fee at the centre. Confirm the current amount on the official German mission website before you book, as the fee is reviewed periodically.
Use the Schengen short-stay visa for trips under 90 days such as tourism, family visits or business meetings. Use the national visa (type D) if you plan to work, study, train or join family in Germany for longer than 90 days. The two have different fees, documents and processing times.
A Schengen short-stay decision usually takes about 15 calendar days, though it can stretch to 30 or 45 days in busy periods. National visas take much longer, often 6 to 12 weeks, because the German mission may consult authorities inside Germany. Apply well ahead of your travel date.
The Opportunity Card is a points-based job-seeker visa that lets qualified Nigerians enter Germany to look for skilled work, scored on factors such as qualifications, work experience, age and language skills. You can do limited part-time work while searching. Check the current points criteria on the official German mission website.
Common reasons are unclear travel purpose, weak proof of funds, missing or invalid travel insurance, and doubts about whether you will return to Nigeria. Inconsistent dates or amounts across your documents also trigger refusals. Address the exact reason given before you reapply.
Message us on WhatsApp, tell us where you're going, and we'll take it from there. No shady agents. No documents sent to a stranger. Just a clean process, in Naira.