Immigration & Work Permits
End-to-end immigration and work-permit handling for expatriates and their employers — correct the first time.
Work permits, expatriate quota applications, and CERPAC renewals are administrative processes that carry significant consequences when handled incorrectly. An expired permit creates immediate liability for the employer, the employee, and potentially the organisation's operating licence. A refused application — if handled incorrectly from the outset — can take months to remediate.
The firm handles the full range of immigration matters for foreign nationals working in Nigeria: combined expatriate residence permit (CERPAC), subject to regularisation (STR), expatriate quota management, business visa advisory, and naturalisation applications. The practice also serves organisations managing multiple expatriate employees, providing a single point of coordination for all permit portfolios.
The firm's Abuja office, operating at the federal capital level, is well-positioned to handle matters with the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Ministry of Interior, and other federal institutions involved in immigration regulation.
When immigration matters escalate — refused applications, enforcement action against expired permits, or disputes with NIS — representation at the SAN level carries weight with the regulatory institutions involved and in any resulting court proceedings.
Services Within This Practice Area
CERPAC Applications & Renewals
Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card — new applications, renewals, and status upgrades for foreign nationals resident in Nigeria.
Expatriate Quota Management
Quota applications and renewals with the Ministry of Interior. Management of multi-position expatriate quota portfolios for corporate clients.
STR Regularisation
Subject to Regularisation processing — conversion of STR to CERPAC. Regularisation of status for holders with irregularities.
Business Visa Advisory
Business visa applications, visa on arrival arrangements, and port-of-entry advisory for short-term business visitors to Nigeria.
Naturalisation & Citizenship
Naturalisation applications, citizenship by registration, renunciation of citizenship advisory, and certificate of citizenship applications.
Corporate Immigration Portfolios
Ongoing management of expatriate permit portfolios for companies: tracking renewal timelines, managing compliance, and coordinating across NIS.
Selected Outcomes
All matters anonymised in accordance with professional confidentiality obligations.
Regulatory
Refused CERPAC application — remediation
Application refused on technical grounds. Grounds remediated. Application approved on resubmission within 6 weeks.
Regulatory
Corporate expatriate portfolio — 12 permits
Full portfolio managed, all renewals completed on time, no lapses recorded across 3-year period.
Regulatory
Immigration enforcement — expired STR
Status regularised within 30 days. Employer liability avoided.
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