What Is an STR Visa and How Do I Apply for One?
The Subject to Regularisation (STR) visa is the entry visa for a foreign national taking up employment in Nigeria. The name says what it is: you enter on it, and your status is then regularised into residence documentation after arrival.
When STR Is the Right Route
STR applies where the role is continuous employment with a Nigerian company — not a short mobilisation. If a specialist is coming for a defined technical task of a few weeks, a Temporary Work Permit is the correct instrument. If the person is joining the payroll and staying, it is STR.
What the Employer Must Have First
- An approved Expatriate Quota position matching the job title and the qualification requirements.
- A signed employment offer and acceptance.
- Corporate documents — CAC incorporation, tax registration and, where the sector requires it, NIMASA, NPA, NCDMB or NUPRC registrations.
- A letter accepting immigration responsibility for the employee.
Where and How You Apply
STR is applied for at a Nigerian embassy or high commission outside Nigeria — it is not issued on arrival. The applicant submits the employer pack together with their own credentials: passport, qualifications relevant to the quota position, curriculum vitae and, where required, professional certificates. Missing or mismatched qualifications against the quota description are a frequent cause of refusal.
After You Land
Entry on STR is only the first half. The employer must file for regularisation with the Nigeria Immigration Service within the permitted window after arrival, which converts the position into CERPAC residence documentation. Failing to file leaves the employee out of status even though they entered lawfully.
Bringing Family
Spouses and children can be included as dependants. It is cleaner to prepare the dependant applications alongside the principal rather than as an afterthought, particularly where school enrolment dates matter.
How PeaceRyde Helps
We prepare employer packs, check qualification alignment against the quota position before submission, coordinate the mission application abroad, meet the employee at the airport on first arrival, and manage the regularisation and CERPAC filings that follow.
Key Takeaways
- STR is the entry visa for continuous employment in Nigeria and is obtained abroad, never on arrival.
- The employer must hold an approved Expatriate Quota position before the application is made.
- Applicant qualifications must match the quota position description.
- Regularisation into CERPAC must be filed within the window after arrival.
- Spouses and children are handled as dependants alongside the principal applicant.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an STR visa be issued on arrival in Nigeria?
No. STR must be obtained from a Nigerian embassy or high commission abroad before travel. Only pre-approved Business Visa on Arrival and Temporary Work Permit categories are endorsed at the airport.
What is the difference between STR and a Temporary Work Permit?
STR is for continuous employment leading to residence. A Temporary Work Permit covers a short, defined technical assignment with a departure at the end of it.
What happens if regularisation is not filed after arrival?
The employee falls out of status despite entering lawfully. Penalties can follow for both the individual and the sponsoring employer, and later filings become harder.