NIGERIA – Two-year Residence Permits for Fresh Quota Positions
Effective immediately, any employers applying for quota positions that qualify as two-year positions may now apply for a Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC or “Green Card”). The permit will be valid for a period of two years. This means that upon the granting of a fresh expatriate quota approval, an employer may apply for CERPACs with two-year validity on behalf of his/her foreign employees with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). The validity of a CERPAC is tied to the lifespan of the position. This is also true for renewal CERPACs. In order to obtain a CERPAC with longer validity, employers must purchase two CERPAC forms. Previously, CERPACs with only a one-year validity period could be obtained, even for positions that lasted two years or longer. An additional change that expatriates should be aware of is that the NIS has issued new Green Cards that contain additional security features, such as biometric data. Although old Green Cards will be gradually brought to an end, they will still be valid until their expiration dates.