Moving to the UK From Nigeria in 2026: Visa Routes
Three recent rule changes affect anyone planning a move from Nigeria to the UK. Employers can no longer recruit care workers from overseas. Most students can no longer bring a partner or children. The English requirement for work visas has risen to level B2. What has not changed is that the main routes, a sponsored job or a place at a university, remain open. This guide sets out each requirement and cost from GOV.UK and the Home Office fee table of 8 October 2026, as read on 13 October 2026.
Quick answer
Nigerian citizens need a visa for every trip to the UK. A Skilled Worker visa costs £819 for up to three years or £1,618 for longer, and the job must usually pay at least £41,700. A Student visa costs £558, with funds of £1,529 a month in London or £1,171 elsewhere for up to 9 months. Add the healthcare surcharge: £1,035 a year, or £776 for students. Applicants from Nigeria coming for 6 months or more need a tuberculosis test, and work visa applicants must prove English at level B2.
Step 1: Visiting
Nigeria is on the UK's visa national list, so a Nigerian citizen must apply for a Standard Visitor visa before travelling. A visit visa for up to 6 months costs £135. At the border and in the application you must show that you will leave at the end of your visit and can support yourself during the trip. A visitor cannot do paid or unpaid work for a UK company or as a self-employed person.
Step 2: The main routes
| Route | Main condition | Application fee |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker | A job with a licensed sponsor, usually paying at least £41,700 per year or the going rate, whichever is higher | £819 for up to three years, £1,618 for longer |
| Health and Care Worker | Doctors, nurses and people in eligible health or adult social care jobs. Cheaper to apply for, with no annual healthcare surcharge | — |
| Student | An unconditional offer from a licensed student sponsor, plus maintenance funds | £558 |
| Family | A partner or family member who is British or settled in the UK | £2,064 |
| High Potential Individual | A qualification from an eligible university in the last 5 years | £880 |
| Global Talent | A leader or potential leader in academia or research, arts and culture, or digital technology | £766 |
| UK Ancestry | A Commonwealth citizen with a grandparent born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | £726 |
Nigeria is listed as a member country by the Commonwealth, so the Ancestry route is open to Nigerians who have a UK-born grandparent. The Youth Mobility Scheme is not available: Nigeria is not among the countries GOV.UK lists for it.
Step 3: Three changes to know before you plan
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| Care workers | Overseas recruitment of social care workers ended on 22 July 2025. Care worker and senior care worker jobs can still be used by people who are extending, updating or switching to a Health and Care Worker visa from inside the UK |
| Student dependants | A partner and children can apply only if you are a government-sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months, or a full-time postgraduate student on a course of 9 months or longer. For postgraduate courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, the course must be a PhD or other doctorate, or a research-based higher degree |
| English for work visas | New applicants for Skilled Worker visas have needed level B2 since 8 January 2026 |
Step 4: The tuberculosis test
Nigeria is on the list of countries where you need a TB test if you are coming to the UK for 6 months or more and have lived there for 6 months or more. The test is a chest x-ray at a clinic approved by the Home Office. If it shows that you do not have TB, you receive a certificate valid for 6 months from the date of the x-ray, which you include with your visa application. Children must see a clinician, and those under 11 will not normally have an x-ray.
Step 5: Proving your English
Nigeria is not on the list of countries whose nationals are exempt from proving their knowledge of English for a Skilled Worker visa. You can prove it in one of these ways:
- A degree from a UK institution
- A degree from an institution outside the UK that was taught in English
- An English test from an approved provider, at level B2 or above
- A UK school qualification
If you have already proved your English in a previous successful visa application, you may not have to prove it again.
Step 6: What it costs
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Healthcare surcharge, most visas | £1,035 per year, for example £3,105 for a 3-year visa |
| Healthcare surcharge, students, their dependants and under-18s | £776 per year |
| Savings for a Skilled Worker visa | Usually at least £1,270 |
| Student funds, courses in London | £1,529 per month, for up to 9 months |
| Student funds, courses outside London | £1,171 per month, for up to 9 months |
| Average UK private rent, August 2026 | £1,400 a month |
| Average private rent in the North East of England | £788 a month |
| Average private rent in London | £2,332 a month |
The visa fee and the surcharge are paid for each person who applies, including any dependants. The surcharge is paid up front for the full length of the visa.
Step 7: Studying, then staying to work
- During your course: you may be able to work, with limits that depend on what you study and whether it is term time. You cannot be self-employed.
- After your course: a Graduate visa lasts 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. With a PhD it lasts 3 years.
- After the Graduate visa: it cannot be extended, but you may be able to switch to another visa such as Skilled Worker.
Step 8: Timing
A decision on a Skilled Worker or Student visa usually comes within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK, once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents. A decision on a family visa applied for outside the UK usually comes within 12 weeks.
Step 9: Driving and belongings
- Driving: Nigeria is not on the list of designated countries. You can drive in Great Britain on your full licence for 12 months from when you became resident, and after that you need a provisional licence and must pass the theory and practical tests.
- Belongings: you might be able to claim transfer of residence relief on tax and duty, with form ToR01 before you move.
Step 10: Settlement
With a work visa you must usually have lived and worked in the UK for 5 years to apply for indefinite leave to remain, which costs £3,226. A reform that would set a baseline of ten years for many migrants, and 15 years for jobs considered low-skilled or medium-skilled including social care workers, was consulted on. In September 2026 the Home Secretary said final decisions would come very soon. Dual citizenship is allowed in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How can a Nigerian relocate to the UK?
With a visa. The main routes are Skilled Worker with a sponsored job, Health and Care Worker for eligible health roles, Student, and Family. A visit visa does not allow work.
Can Nigerians still get a UK care worker visa?
Overseas recruitment of social care workers ended on 22 July 2025. The care worker codes remain usable only for people extending, updating or switching to a Health and Care Worker visa inside the UK.
Can I bring my family on a UK student visa?
Only if you are a government-sponsored student on a course longer than 6 months, or a postgraduate on a PhD, doctorate or research-based higher degree.
Do Nigerians need a TB test for a UK visa?
Yes, if you are coming for 6 months or more. Nigeria is on the list, and the certificate is valid for 6 months from the x-ray.
How much money do I need for a UK student visa?
£1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month elsewhere, for up to 9 months, plus the £558 fee and the healthcare surcharge of £776 per year.
Do Nigerians need an English test for a UK work visa?
You must prove English at level B2. A degree taught in English or a UK degree can serve as proof in place of a test.
How long does a UK visa take from Nigeria?
Usually within 3 weeks for a Skilled Worker or Student visa applied for outside the UK, and within 12 weeks for a family visa.
Official sources
- GOV.UK — Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Visa national list
- GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa
- GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa
- GOV.UK — Student visa
- GOV.UK — Graduate visa
- GOV.UK — Tuberculosis tests for visa applicants
- GOV.UK, Home Office — Immigration and nationality fees, 8 October 2026
- GOV.UK — Immigration health surcharge
- GOV.UK — UK Ancestry visa
- The Commonwealth — Member countries
- GOV.UK — Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence
- Office for National Statistics — Private rent and house prices, UK
- House of Commons Library — Changes to UK visa and settlement rules (21 September 2026)
All figures verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. Apply only through GOV.UK, and be wary of anyone who offers a job or visa in exchange for a fee. Information, not legal advice.