Nigerian Embassy | Consulate / Embassy

French passeports :

First step : go the Prefecture of Cotonou to apply for a Benin Resident card. It’s free, it take 30min to make the paperwork. After registration, the women gave us a small receipt with the application number.

5 days later, you can pick up the card at the City Hall of 12e arrondissement. Go early in the morning, on the afternoon it’s crowed and it takes ages.

To apply for Nigeria visa :

First step : apply for a tourist visa online : http://visa.immigration.gov.ng
Fees : 88e + 20e administration fees
Once you’ve paid, you download the payment receipt + application receipt
Get this two paper printed.

Last step : go to Nigeria Ambassy with the papers you got on the website, your resident card (or just the receipt) and passport, and not more than 25K per person
Say that you’re here to pick up your visa. In the office, the guy will ask for 25k per person for the “Ambassy fees” which is of course a lie. We tried to negotiate for 30min, with humour and kindness of course but there is nothing to do.

The guy in the office doesn’t want you to go out and then come back so he will take whatever you have (still minimum 25k per person).

The visa is one month, starting from the day you cross the border.

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I took more than 15 photocopies of documents, proof of accommodation, itinerary, photocopie of fake Benin residence card, etc.

I filled the visa form and paid online. Also took photocopies of the visa form and payment receipt.

The consul didn't even look at any of this, just asked who "assisted" me to pay online and since I did it on my own he had no proof that I really paid, besides the receipt, so he would have to wait around 30 days to confirm it at the government website 🤔

He then started to fill my visa on my passport and told I had to pay 50.000Cfa because he was taking a risk for me. I said I just had 25.000Cfa on me and he stored the passport in a drawer called someone to take me out and I should only come back once I "find" the 50.000.

After a while i ended up paying this amount and got the passport back immediately.

There was a German couple there at the same time and they had nothing printed out. Not even the payment receipt (but they paid online). Also paid 50.000Cfa and got the visa immediately.

I guess I met him on a unlucky day.

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Edit:
Don’t take more than 122k with you (or don’t show more) as this seems to be the price people payed in the past as well. We basically paid this too (130k + 115k ).It’s obvious that the guy doesn’t work as he should (he also told us to put the passports in the pocket when we exit his office and on the entrance we where asked if we come for information only which we agreed). So it’s all a bit African Style but easier for both. At the end we are happy that it turned out like this as staying here (to wait for processing) also costs money.

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The fastest Visa process I‘ve been through so far. The guy is basically only interested in your money. First question was if we have cfa cash with us. He started asking 175.000cfa p.p. and then asked how much we have. My mate came with 130.000, me with 105.000. He agreed to the 130k and issued a visa. It’s just filling out a sticker.. 2min. No photo, invitation etc needed, only the application (where we’ve put some random names and numbers for the inviting person) and the paper to pick up residence card (wasn’t ready yet but the number on the pickup paper is all he needs). So after that he was looking at me asking my plans.. I said I don’t have more money but can go get some in 10 min. He said he don’t want to stress me with going out and in again.. obviously he just didn’t wanted me to go out and maybe talk to the other people or idk. I also argued with the online fee of 88USD which he said is wrong it’s 130USD (it’s still 88). He also put pressure on us to not leave and pay online with telling us there are network problems and it can take 10 days or more to proceed the payment. Eventually my friend found 10k cfa in his pocket and the guy tooked the 115k and issued my visa as well. He said I should put 15k in his mtn acc. later. Even on the visa it is written ‘fee: 88$’. But besides of the high amount of money easy and fast. I would recommend to you to don’t take more than ~110k Cfa with you or of you take the Risk that you might wait a day or two pay online. As other mentioned he already issued visa for 100k .. good luck

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As a German passport holder, the process was quite straightforward for us. Since our residence card took longer than expected, we decided to visit the embassy directly and try our luck. The staff member was very friendly. Initially, he asked to see our residence card, but we explained that it wasn't ready yet. He then requested proof that we had applied for it, so we presented the white slip used to pick up the card. After some friendly conversation, he issued us a 30-day visa without any issues. We did not need an invitation letter.

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I went to the embassy today and the officer didn't want to accept my resident card "certificat de residence "at first. he told me to pay 125,000 fcfa because I didn't pay online, I told him it's too much for me and he told me that I have to pay online and bring 25000 FCFA as a legal bribe it would be cheaper for me. I paid and came back to him, he sent me with a man to a woman who asked me a lot of questions about my bicycle touring in Africa and Nigeria exactly and I explained everything to her and checked my channel and she liked my adventure and accepted me and finally got my visa.

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We went to the embassy and brought the following documents:

Copy of your passport 

Copy of Benin entry stamp

Copy of yellow fever 

Copy of Cameroon evisa

Copy of day by day itinerary in Nigeria

Invitation letter from Nigerian 

Copy of their passport 

Copy of hotel reservation 

Copy of visa payment

Copy of visa application

and of course the copy of the residency card.

We got the residency card at the place marked on iOverlander next to the stadium and it took 8 days to get it.

We paid for the visas online beforehand on the website.

the first thing they do when you enter is take your phone away from you. you don't get it back till you leave so make sure you have all the documents you might need printed. 

we then got led into a room where we met the man responsible for visa applications.

he straight away looked at our copy of our residency cards and told us these were the wrong ones and that the ones we'd actually need take a few months to process.

he then proceeded to tell us that he could process our visa applications, but that he'd need to attach the correct residency cards to our files at some point in the future, so he wouldn't get in trouble.

He suggested that we'd pay him for the correct residency cards and that he would then sort everything out for us. we asked him how much it would cost and he just looked at us and said "what do you suggest?"

Very clearly absolute bs and very clearly just asking for a bribe. 

We didn't bring that much cash so we suggested 20k total between the 2 of us. He didn't like this and said it normally costs 100k per person. 

We told him we're poor students and that we can't afford that much. He eventually agreed to the 20k, he told us to hand it to him, he looked at it and then he said "okay now take it back" followed by "I am not going to take your money today" and a story about how he would help us today and god would look after him and help him in the future.

Pretty sure this is the first time I've bribed someone only for them to then give it back to me seconds later.

The guy must've either been in a good mood, or really fancied my travel partner. But either way, he processed our tourist visas right there and then and we got it within a few minutes.

We did ofcourse still have to pay the 25k "administration fee" per person, but that seems to be a pretty standard bribe here in Cotonou.

All in all a very unique process, but unlike some recent reports suggested, they definitely still hand out Nigerian visas in Benin!

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I printed out the filled visa application, made my own Benin ID, copies of my ID and my host’s, invitation letter, my route, and DIDN’T pay beforehand online.

We got 2 tourist visa for 30 days stay for 190CFA+20USD (he asked for 203.000 cfa and we weren’t really prepared to pay so much in cash so we didn’t have enough cfa). It’s about 150€ each.

He also “offered” 60 days for the double price. We friendly declined this grateful offer.

The man was nice but didn’t want to explain really what how he comes up with the price. We also didn’t ask or get a receipt. It’s 4:30 on a Friday and it took him like 10-15 minutes. All good. I think he was really happy we brought cash instead of paying online. Apparently he has to send everyone away for one week if they pay online so he can get the payment receipt from the bank. That’s why it’s so “easier” for everyone 😉.

He said the visa starts when we enter via the land border. Arriving at the land border 5 days later, the immigration officers told us, it starts the day it was issued. So we had to fight for 30 days on the stamp. Leaving Nigeria we had the same argument with the immigration officer who said the visa is only valid 30 days from when it was issued. We still got the exit stamp for free and left the country.

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UPDATE: it’s almost impossible to get a tourist visa here, since ‘the lady’ is not working here anymore.

I visited the embassy last wednesday and the officer gave me a hard, hard time. It’s almost impossible to get easily a tourist visa anymore if you’re not really from Benin. I managed a resident card or as you can call it a ‘certificat d'identification personnelle du resident‘. This is the card tourists always used to apply for a Nigerian visa. Since shortly this is NOT accepted anymore. I couldn’t believe what i heard when i had my visa appointment at the embassy. He told me that ‘the lady’ (where everyone writes about in this blog) doesn’t work there anymore and that she always approved it as a valid resident card. There is a guy now in charge, who has a pretty bossy and cold attitude and say from now on you cannot apply with this one anymore. You need a real, green resident card who you can apply for and that takes 30 days!! I think you also need to live in Benin for a long while to even be able to apply for one. Again the white ‘certificat d'identification personnelle du resident’ is not valid anymore to apply for a Nigerian visa.

I had all the documents below which was required for a visa, but the guy didn’t even want to talk with me. I should just go back to my own country and apply there for a visa, he told me 😓 I didn’t accepted this and i was trying to convince him, like tourists do this for years now and i have all the document!!! I just stayed at the embassy and was begging him to at least be reasonable to be and understand my situation. He litteraly ignored me and i just waiting in the waiting room for a proper conversation. The colleagues around on the embassy where significantly more nice and felt sorry for me i guess. At the end of the day the officer told me i need to leave, as the embassy was closing. He told me i need to go back at 10:00 AM the next day with no further information…

In the sane evening i luckily managed to get in touch with some important people in Nigeria, which a friend of me knew. I was so lucky, since those people really wanted to help me out in this situation and one knew some people from the government and Nigerian embassies. He got in touch with one of the junior officers (not the guy who does the visa appointments) of the Nigerian embassy in Cotonou and talked with him . After this call he was supposed to help me out the next day with the visa. And he did, he came with me to the office of the senior officer (who is doing the visas) and said that they needed to issue me a visa in order from that guy i got in contact with. Suddenly he was able to have a normal conversation and he issued me the visa… unbelievable what a relieve!!

Believe me, this guy won’t accept the white Benin ID card as a resident card and the changes are almost 0 that he will issue a visa. If you can, manage to get it elsewhere.. 😭
If you have any further questions about this, you can always send me a message on instagram (steefduijn).

Cheers!

As usual i organized all the required documents as below:

- ‘ Certificat d'identification personnelle du resident’ or like all the tourist use it as a resident card

needed to find out myself that the ‘Certificat d'identification personnelle du resident’.

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Get my visa the day I apply.

First go to ANIP with a copy of passport, go on morning before 3pm.
The should call you when paper is done but go back two opening days after.
If you nice they will print it and let you wait a bit.
I apply on friday and get it on thusday
1500cfa

Nigerian ambassy is open from 11h to 15h30. And visa application is still from monday to wednesday only.

Do payment and application online and came with all the paper (see above)
Go to embassy with you résident card, the took Phone at the entrance, everything was easy for me.
Give them 25k (bribe)
Got out with my visa the same day

Visa in one month, and start when you cross the border (but ask for your 30 days there).

If you want to be efficient and gona take road to Cameroun and Congo . You have time to apply at Congo embassy via express (one day). Cameroun is online and validation is fast.

Have fun

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Got my visa in 1 week total, super happy as in my home country I could not get it for 3 months ( the person responsible for the visa didn't have time for an interview). The process and fees are exactly as described earlier, the only difference is on 4th arrondissement maire they told me it will take 10 days (as far as I understand they do process this in some batches so no possible to make it shooter there) however one of the guys working there took me to the main office and helped to apply there. Then it was 3 days for a residence card and 2 days for a visa. I marked the location of the main office on the map 6.38282, 2.37762.

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- I manage residence in Photoshop (in imigration 10 working days and 2500 cfa). If you wanna do it in 4 working days, day ask for not official 15 000 cfa.
- Colect all documents and visa is on next day. The woman probably likes me or likes bribe (25 000 cfa).
- Totaly 71$ payd online + 25k cfa bribe.
- Totaly 3 days.

Woman is nice and she really focus for residence, i dont know why.

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How to get a Nigerian Visa

Residency card:

It’s really easy to get it. Do it yourself and don’t pay this totally outrageous amount of money!

1. Go to the mairie 10 ème arrondissement at 6.3862428, 2.3843685 google maps

2. Walk through the short hall way and take the first door left. You are heading towards it.

3. Fill out a form with your details. Let them take your finger prints and photo. It took a total of 20 min.

4. Collect your residency card after as early as 72 hours and pay 2.500 CFA. Yes, we got ours after 72 hrs.

Info: we gave an address from a couchsurfers home. We didn’t have to have any documents to validate the address.

Visa:

1. Provide documents:
- online application (website info in other comments)
- 1x current passport photo
- copy of your passport
- copy of the Benin entry stamp in your passport
- copy of residence card
- invitation letter (got it from a couchsurfer)
- copy of your hosts passport
- hotel reservation
- travel plan

2. Pay 122.000 CFA (German) or 163.000 (American) when picking up the visa

We handed in our documents on a Friday. If Mdm Route Ibrahim is there she can do it quickly but we didn’t get to meet her until Tuesday. Then she did it in three hours.

Mdm Route Ibrahim is actually very nice. She is just very concerned about tourists who take risks and wonder off to dangerous areas.

She even gave us her number to tell her when we got through the country safely. She also blessed our journey and prayed for us.

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german residence:
applied for the visa on wednesday with the residence card, could pick it up on friday.
yes, the woman is not the nicest. just bring all the required documents printed in copy with you and don't make up a story, just stay at the truth. the lady knows exactly whats going on and that we all buy the residence cards just for the visa.
if you wonder how the residence card look like I attached a picture.
the lady didn't have a look at the actual card, she just wanted to have a copy. so if anyone wants to risk it and just fake one you can text me on instagram (tamix_) to get a better picture of the card.

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When I applied, the lady was not happy at all with my documents. I had everything as described here. She said that the residency card doesn’t apply as I live in Germany and asked why I would even consider trying to get the visa this way. She was literally yelling at me. She said she got order from Abuja to not accept them anymore and she’ll put a sign up front soon. I was nicely explaining my situation and she did give me the visa after all. My friends who applied separately also did get the visa with the residence card. So maybe she was just trying to put pressure on me so i won’t complain about the high „administration fee“.

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This process still works to obtain Nigeria visa.

I did Benin resident card with Mathieu (+229 67904612) - 4 day service @ 35,000CFA.
(T

Nigeria visa application requirements all the same as in previous posts. I paid total 123,000CFA - cash - at Embassy. Lady was happy with all cash payment hence 1 day service.

Lodged application on Monday 11:00AM - pickup Tuesday 13:00.

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Process is as described, nothing changed with the needed paper. We also payed online, the lady in the embassy was first not so happy about it but still everything went smooth.

We handed the visa on a Wednesday and received it on Friday. At the entrance was a sign that it is just possible to apply from Monday until Wednesday for a visa.

If you know anyone from Cotonou, you can make the residence card for 2500 Cfa at the government office from this person and use his Adresse, we didn’t do this because we didn’t know before but our friends ( 4 friends ) did it and it took 5 days to have it ready.

Don’t be overwhelmed, it is easy and fast just get your papers ready.

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UPDATE ABOUT RESIDENCE CARD
its very easy to make the card that we use for visa and no need at all to pay that big amount of money to anyone to do it
first its not really a residence card but "certificat d'identification personnelle du resident" and thats what everyone do for the visa
i went to ask in "mairie" and i told them where am staying (am staying in friend's house in Fidjrossé) and they ask me to go to "chef quartier" Akogbato there she told me that the card costs 2500CFA only, she send me to "mairie" 10ème arrondissement as its the one related to her region, she knows someone there and she called him to help me do it fast and she told me you can five him something (1000CFa) and if you dont he will help you anyway, I went to mairie the person met me there, told him that i just live in Fidjrossé without any verification of details of the adress , took photos and fingerprints and I left to the "chef quartier" she told me it will be ready after 4 days and paid her the 2500CFA the day before (you can pay even by momo) and then I got the card needed.
I think that people dont know that its legal to have that card and they dont really need an adress and thats why they pay alot to someone to do it but its given to anyone you just need to go to the chef quartier and mairie of the region where you are or simply go to the ones where I have been me and some other ioverlanders
The location of the chef quartier is very close to here 6.3581693, 2.3581006
The location of the mairie 10 ème arrondissement is here 6.3862428, 2.3843685 (already located in google map)

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All the informations are good and now, in august 2023, it's easy to have the visa. First take contact with Mathieu for the résident card (5 days). The price is 30 000 fcfa per person if you don't use his adress and 35 000 fcfa if you use it. After that do your evisa on the website of Nigéria. We decided to pay it online. Go to the embassy with the form printed + 1 picture per person + passeport copy+ stamp of entrance of Bénin copy+ letter of invitation (even it's the same for everybody in your family you need to print one for each form)+ copy of the identity card of the person who invits you (also one copy in each form). Attach everything together. The woman is not welcoming but she will not ask a lot of questions if you have all the documents. She asked us 25 000 fcfa per person for the "administration fees". We left our passeport on monday and had our visa on wednesday. Nothing special.

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Check the Instructions in the comment from "thefilmppl" - its still up to date - get all you documents sorted and go to the embassy.
It was really easy to get the visa IF you meet the right person at the embassy. Usually there is a lady in charge of the visa office - try to only speak to her. The first time i went to the embassy (early at around 10am) i met a guy - he gave me a hard time (asking a lot of questions, told me the residency is not valid, you have to be a resident at least for 6 month to apply for the visa), he told me there is no way to get the visa at this embassy - which is probably true to be honest. So i left and came back two days later but little bit later (around 11am). Then there was the Lady- gave her all the documents+ passport, she didnt asked any questions. I think she knows exactly what is going on and so she told me to bring 122.000 CFA the next day. So there is a good amount of money going directly into her pocket. The next day around noon i could pick up the visa. My advice: 1) Show up between 11 and 12 so the chances are high you meet the Lady
2) if you pay online (88USD) before you might safe some money because in this case the Lady ask for around 45.000cfa - but its on you own risk...

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For any Motorcycle traveler intending crossing from Nigeria to Cameroon by sea

visit. www.ringscostravels.com

or search via Google maps. Travel from Nigeria to Cameroon by boat and Ship Oron.

WhatsApp+2349135306373

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IT IS POSSIBLE TO GET A VISA HERE IF YOU FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS:

First of all: you need a Benin residence card. It is not difficult to get one. Just contact Mathieu (+229 67904612) who will help you with that. The whole procedure took us 5 days and cost 33k CFA.

Once you have the residence card you can continue with the actual visa application.

Before going to the embassy we prepared the following documents:

- apply for the visa online (BUT DONT PAY) & print the application
- 1x current passport photo
- copy of your passport
- copy of the Benin entry stamp in your passport
- copy of residence card
- invitation letter
- copy of your Hosts passport
- hotel reservation

The last three items we just bought on the internet (destinaly.com)

We printed everything, added a picture and went to the embassy. The lady who is issuing the visa is working between 10am-15pm, but she takes a long lunch break. We were there around 11am.

The lady will give you a hard time but if you keep being friendly she will want up to you. You have to assure her that you will return to Benin after your visit to Nigeria, since you’re a Benin resident. She didn’t ask too many questions though.

We paid 122k CFA per visa and picked them up at 2pm the following day.

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not possible to get the visa without a residence permit. spoke to the ambassador and there was no way around it. otherwise the requirements seem easy. best option seems to be getting it in your home country if possible.

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After filing the form online you have to print the 3 documents. Make sure you did the payment online before you go to the embassy.

No need to book an appointment, you can go from Monday to Friday start at 11h30 until 15h for visa.

They will ask for :
-1 photo
-1 hôtel reservation
-Travel plan (border entrance you will take and the exit border, olso all the cities that you will go)
-1 copy of the vehicle registration
-We add the international permit (not sure it's needed but the woman appreciate it)
- And the 3 documents.
-25 000 CFA without receipt...

Take only the day to have the visa.
They do not ask for an invitation letter.

You MUST come with proper closes. (cover your shoulders) No sportswear clothes or not super clean clothes... the guy at the entrance will tell you to go back. He tell me to change me because I had a decathlon pan... He was a real asswole, racist and very not respectful.
When you are white you can not enter with your phone and we had to let our bag at the entrance.
Above all, don't say anything, otherwise he won't let you in. We had an altercation with him at the end and told us to never come back as he will not open the door...

The woman who took care of us was very unpleasant and did not help us at all when we ask what papers she need it.

Very bad experience at this embassy.

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After filling all online application and print the 3 documents, fotocopy of pasport, main page and entre stamp of Benin page, picture, and invitation latter, visa in the same day. They make me wait 4 hours, then give documentes and visa in 5 minutes. I pay to extra 25.000 CFA, don't know for what. ask for a receipt, no option of receipt for the 25.000 CFA.

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Nigerian Visa done yesterday in Benin/Cotonou. Super easy dont know why everyone is afraid of that.

1.Fill online form (No questions are to special. You just need any kind of adress in Nigeria and pictures of passport and passport picture) I did everything in my phone. No issues.
2. Make the payment 105€
3. Print thouse documents (3 pdf in total)
4. Attach one picture and one passport copy
5. I attached a invitation letter of a friend in Nigeria. Before I could pic it up I needet to add a passport copy the person who envited.
6. Drop everything at 11 am or 4pm ar the embassy. You will need propper clothing. I had everything long sleeved but they said my troursers where to dirty so I had to come back 🙄
7. Pay another 25.000cfa

I dropped everything at 11am and got the visa at 4pm

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Today I requested the visa, after some tries, i made it through the online process. You have to pay online, cost 108 $, then print and add a reservation on the adress you filed or an invitation letter. I did also my travelplan as a copy. Whole stack to the Embassy to handover. Then you have to pay another 25.000 CFA. I was there at 12 and could pick up my visa at 4. no questions or further remarks.

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Nigerian Visa possible here.

Complete the online visa application (A massive pain) then print off the papers before hand. Wait in the reception, you will be taken to the visa official. All very cordial until they ask you for the ‘administrative fee’ which is a bunch of lies. Its is 25,000CFA. Honestly I asked for a receipt and they said it isn’t possible. I kept insisting. No point, they know the power they have. The first bribe I paid on this whole trip from England. Left a really sour taste in my mouth. Good luck and Good travels.

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Impossible to get the visa if you are not living in Benin because they are asking the resident Benin permit! :-(

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we were here today. no resident in Benin = no visa for Nigeria :-(

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Went there today, as expected no chance if not resident. Tried to explain that there is no Nigerian embassy in my home country, but no help and left empty handed.

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Basically the guy doesn't even look you in the face. it's not possible

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cannot help non benin. I updated the gps coordinates.

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As the Austrians said below - they are not giving visas unless you are residents of Benin. We spoke to the consul officer (a real diplomat, the visa officer’s boss) and he said there is no way to get the visa. You must apply in your home country.

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visa only for residents of benin!!! don't do the online application and the payment, you probably won't get your visa here.

austrian citizens

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Note this could not work out for you so at your own risk. After filing in the online visa application on www.immigration.gov.ng and did the online payment. Watch out your visacard or mastercard must have the same name as the visa application. Otherwise you can’t complete the payment. Print out everything. Make sure you have your Cameroun visa we got ours in Cotonou as well. Copy all your passport pages and add to the application. Make a travelplan where you have been so far and where you go. Print out as well and add. The payment online is different for each country and there was a extra fee of $20 so we paid $108 for a 30day tourist visa. Bring everything to the embassy when you completed everything and hope for the best.

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