Schengen Visa for Nigeria

Most countries of the Schengen region are popular destinations for leisure travel as well as studies and work. Apart from tourists, several professionals and business people travel to the Schengen region for work meetings and new job assignments while multiple students visit the Schengen countries to complete their higher studies.

Visiting a Schengen country will require you to obtain a relevant visa and a proper travel insurance plan from the UAE. However, the visa procurement procedure and requirements may differ as per your citizenship. This article will discuss Schengen visas for Nigerian people and everything related – from types of visas to documentation and travel insurance plans.

Do You Need Schengen Visa If You Are a Nigerian Living in the UAE?

Yes, Nigerian passport holders living in the UAE will need a Schengen visa to visit any of the 26 Schengen countries in the region. The visa will be required for both long and short stays. Short-stay visas allow visa holders to stay in the Schengen countries for a maximum of 90 days. Transit visas, on the other hand, allow individuals to stay in international zones of the country, i.e., the airports. Keep in mind that holders of transit visas are not allowed to enter Schengen countries.

As far as long-term visas are concerned, Nigerian citizens can get them for purposes like study, work, research, and so on. These visas have different validities depending on the purpose of the visit. The validity of long-term Schengen visas may range between 6 months to 5 years. The holder can renew their visa if their stay gets extended.

Requirements to Apply for Schengen Visa

Given below is a list of basic documents you will need to get a Schengen visa for Nigerian citizens:

• Properly filled visa application form – separate forms will be required for all travellers
• A valid Nigerian passport – the passport shall not be any older than 10 years and the remaining validity of the passport shall be at least 3 months beyond your travel dates 
• Two passport-size photos which are no older than 3 months 
• A valid UAE resident visa that must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your travel dates
• A detailed travel itinerary for your trip that explains the course of action during your Schengen trip
• Round-trip tickets for your Schengen trip clearly mentioning the date of your return
• Accommodation proof in the Schengen region – you can use hotel bookings or guest house booking details as proof here
• A cover letter with a proper explanation for your Schengen trip and your time of return
• A proper Schengen travel insurance plan as per the type of visa you plan to apply for –make sure that the coverage limit is at least EUR 30,000 
• Proof of funds to support your stay in the Schengen region 

This can include any of the following (or even both) –

1. Bank statement showcasing the current balance of your account
2. A letter of sponsorship from a resident or citizen of one of the Schengen countries you plan to visit

Note: You will need additional documents as per the type of visa you are applying for. For instance, university transcripts, acceptance letters, and invitation letters would be required for student travel visas. On the other hand, an invitation from the company you are visiting, proof of employment, a cover letter from your current employer, and other similar documents are required for business travel visas and work visas. Thus, it is advisable to connect with the concerned embassy or the visa centre to be aware of the exact list of required documents.

How to Apply for Schengen Visa for Nigerian Citizens in the UAE?

Given below are the steps you can follow to successfully submit a Schengen visa application for Nigerian citizens in the UAE:

• Find out the embassy or visa centre where you are required to submit your application 
• Connect with the embassy and get an appointment for yourself
• Obtain a Schengen visa form and gather all the required documents. Fill out the form and attach all the documents. 
• Submit this stack when you visit the visa centre on your appointment day. Attend the visa interview and wait for the results. 
• Once the visa centre has reviewed your application to be in order, approval will be sent 
• You can now visit the visa centre to collect your visa sticker 

Finding the right place to send in your visa application is crucial. There are different embassies for each country in the UAE. You can find out the Schengen country you wish to visit and connect with its embassy or general consulate in the UAE to submit your visa application.

You may also visit an authorised visa centre for the same. Some visa centres and embassies allow online applications as well. With such a wide range of available options, you should make sure to research all your options before sending out the application.

As far as embassies and visa centres are concerned, residents from Al Ain and Abu Dhabi can send in their applications at the visa centres located in Abu Dhabi. Residents from all other emirates can submit their Schengen visa for Nigeria application in visa centres located in Dubai.

Do I Need Travel Insurance for Schengen Visa?

Travel insurance is mandatory for getting a Schengen visa regardless of the type of visa you wish to get. There are special travel insurance products designed for Schengen visas known as the Schengen travel insurance plans.

The visas and travel authorities of the Schengen region require the travellers to have Schengen travel insurance with medical benefits worth at least EUR 30,000. Moreover, these Schengen travel insurance plans must be valid in all 26 Schengen states. Travel insurance plans are mandatory for both long-term and short-term Schengen visas for Nigeria.

Benefits of Schengen Travel Insurance

Purchasing a travel insurance plan for a Schengen visa for Nigerian citizens is not only mandatory as per the law but also highly beneficial for the travellers concerned.

Given below are some of the most common benefits of Schengen travel insurance plans:

• Emergency Medical Treatment: This is one of the most important benefits of travel insurance for Schengen visas for Nigerian citizens. The plan here offers coverage for the treatment received during a medical emergency arising from illness or injuries on your trip. Some plans also offer additional hospital cash benefits to cover hospital stay charges. Additionally, repatriation expenses, funeral costs, and medical evacuation expenses are also covered by these travel insurance plans.
• COVID-19 Cover: Most travel plans for Schengen visas for Nigerian citizens come with a handy COVID-19 cover. This cover reimburses the policyholder for expenses like medication, RT-PCR tests, and quarantine if they are tested positive for COVID-19. Depending on the plan coverage, quarantine expenses are covered for up to 7-14 days.
• Travel Inconvenience Benefits: Several small and big hiccups can lead to massive inconveniences during your trip, whether in the form of a delayed departure flight, a missed connecting flight, and more. Travel insurance plans compensate the policyholders for such inconveniences caused during the trip.
• Luggage Protection Covers: Losing your luggage, waiting for delayed checked-in baggage, or being a target of criminal acts like mugging and theft can be quite stressful during the trip. Your travel insurance plan, in such cases, offers apt compensation to help you recover lost or stolen items during the trip. Inconvenience caused while waiting for your checked-in baggage at the airport is also compensated for by these plans.
• Trip Cancellation and Curtailment: If have to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances and events, your travel insurance plan can offer compensation for all the non-refundable pre-paid trip expenses. Your travel insurance will also provide similar benefits for trips that have been cut short due to unannounced emergencies.
• Personal Liability Cover: Travel insurance plans also offer coverage for any accidental personal liabilities that you happen to incur during the trip. Personal liability cover offers compensation to cover any losses that a third party has incurred due to an accident where the policyholder is at fault. This ensures financial protection from all unexpected liabilities during the trip.

Types of Schengen Travel Insurance Plans

Travel insurance for Schengen visas for Nigerian citizens can be divided into a few different parts as per the types of travellers, duration and frequency of the trip, the purpose of visit, and the number of travellers. 

Let’s cover all the different types briefly:

1. As Per the Duration and Frequency of the Trips

• Annual Multi - Trip Travel Insurance: An annual multi-trip travel insurance plan comes with a validity of one year. All the trips that you take within the tenure of such a plan are covered with all the basic benefits of a travel insurance plan. Annual travel plans can be renewed every year to continue the coverage as long as you like. However, it’s worth noting that the trips insured by these plans may have a limit on the maximum number of vacations covered for each trip. 
• Single - Trip Travel Insurance: Single-trip travel insurance plans for the Schengen visa for Nigeria only cover one trip, as reflected in the name. Here, the plan expires as soon as you come back from your trip and land in the UAE. 

The maximum number of vacation days covered by these plans may range from 30 to 180 days. Policyholders can extend the plan validity as per the trip duration by purchasing additional vacation days. However, unlike annual travel insurance plans, single-trip plans cannot be renewed.

2. As Per Number and Types of Travellers

• Individual Travel Insurance: These travel plans cover only a single traveller and can be availed as single-trip or multi-trip plans. The benefits offered are in-line with the basic coverage of travel insurance plans. Individual plans are ideal for solo travellers. 
• Senior Citizen Travel Insurance: As generic travel insurance plans only cover individuals up to the age of 65 years, special travel insurance plans known as senior citizen travel insurance plans are designed for travellers above the age of 65 years. These plans offer specially curated coverage for older travellers to match their unique requirements arising from old age and consequent health challenges. Most providers have a maximum age limit applicable on these plans, although this limit generally differs for all concerned insurance companies.
• Family Travel Insurance: If you are travelling with your spouse and children, family travel insurance plans will be ideal for you. You can insure your spouse and children (younger than 18 years but older than 30 days) along with yourself under a single plan.

3. As Per the Purpose of the Visit

• Business Travel Insurance: Business travel insurance plans are designed with additional benefits to secure the precious items that you carry on work trips. This can include gadgets like laptops, tablets, electronic items, coverage for replacement business equipment, and more. The exact benefits included in your plan may differ as per your provider.
• Student Travel Insurance: A student travel insurance plan for a Schengen visa for Nigerian citizens is available only for travellers visiting a Schengen country for studies-related purposes. This is a special plan designed to protect the interests of the students. In addition to the basic coverage, some unique benefits offered with these plans are sponsor protection cover, study interruption cover, and so on. 

Processing Time for the Schengen Visa

Schengen visas for Nigerian citizens may take up to 14 days for processing and disbursal. Once your visa has been processed, the concerned visa centre will contact you and schedule an appointment for visa stamping. 

You can then get the visa sticker from the authority or get it stamped on your passport as per availability. Processing time may get stretched to 45 days in some cases. Hence, it is smart to apply for your visa a couple of months in advance to avoid inconveniences. 

When Should You Apply for Schengen Visa?

Authorities require all Schengen visitors to apply for their visas at least 3 weeks before their trip start date since it takes up to 14 days to process the visa. For this reason, it is highly recommended to apply for your Schengen visa for Nigerian citizens as soon as the major trip details have been confirmed.

It is smart to keep an additional margin apart from the one suggested by visa authorities due to the likelihood of errors, as the visa application procedure may involve hefty paperwork. You must have enough time to rectify any mistakes and resend the application. 

Schengen Visa Application Fee for Ukrainian Citizens in the UAE

Given below is the fee structure for Schengen visa application for Nigerian citizens: