What Is CERPAC and Who Needs One in Nigeria?
CERPAC — the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card — is the residence document the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) issues to a foreign national who is living and working in Nigeria rather than visiting. It is not a visa. A visa gets you into the country; CERPAC is what makes your continued residence lawful once you are here.
Who Needs One
- Expatriates employed by a Nigerian company against an approved Expatriate Quota position.
- Foreign directors and senior managers resident in Nigeria.
- Accompanying spouses and dependants of a CERPAC holder, who are issued dependant cards.
Short-term visitors do not need CERPAC. A specialist mobilising on a Temporary Work Permit or attending meetings on a Business Visa on Arrival is a visitor and leaves before residence rules apply.
How CERPAC Follows the STR Visa
The standard sequence for an expatriate role is: the Nigerian employer secures an Expatriate Quota position, the employee applies for a Subject to Regularisation (STR) visa at a Nigerian mission abroad, they enter Nigeria on that STR visa, and the employer then files for regularisation within the window NIS allows. CERPAC is the output of that regularisation. Missing the filing window is a common and entirely avoidable problem.
What the Card Covers
CERPAC establishes lawful residence, ties the holder to a named employer and quota position, and supports the ordinary parts of living in Nigeria — bank accounts, tenancy, school enrolment and re-entry after travel. It is issued for a defined period and must be renewed before expiry.
When Employment Changes
Because the card is tied to an employer and a quota slot, a change of employer is not an internal HR matter. The new employer must have a quota position available and the immigration position must be re-established. Continuing to work for a different company on a card issued against another employer is a breach.
If It Lapses
An expired CERPAC puts the holder out of status. Penalties accrue, renewal becomes harder, and the employer is exposed as well as the individual. Renewal should be started well ahead of expiry, not in the final weeks.
How PeaceRyde Helps
PeaceRyde Logistics Limited coordinates the full expatriate pathway for marine, subsea and energy employers — quota advisory, STR visa preparation, regularisation filings, CERPAC issue and renewal, dependant cards and airport reception on first arrival.
Key Takeaways
- CERPAC is a residence permit, not a visa — it governs living and working in Nigeria, not entry.
- It normally follows an STR visa and must be filed for within the regularisation window after arrival.
- The card is tied to a named employer and an approved Expatriate Quota position.
- Spouses and dependants receive their own dependant cards.
- Letting a card expire puts both the holder and the employer out of compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do short-term technical visitors need CERPAC?
No. Specialists on a Temporary Work Permit or business travellers on a Business Visa on Arrival are visitors. CERPAC applies to expatriates who are resident in Nigeria under an employment arrangement.
Can I change employer while holding CERPAC?
Not automatically. The card is tied to the employer and the Expatriate Quota position it was issued against, so the new employer must have a quota slot and the immigration position must be re-established.
How early should CERPAC renewal start?
Well before expiry. Starting in the final weeks leaves no margin for document gaps or processing delays, and an expired card creates penalties for the holder and the employer.