Turkey student visa guide

Nigerian students need a student visa from a Turkish mission before travelling, and in Nigeria applications go through Sefa Visa, the centre named by the Turkish Embassy in Abuja, with offices in Abuja and Lagos. After arrival you apply for a student residence permit through the e-Residence (e-ikamet) system, usually with help from your university's international office. Students are exempt from the residence permit fee but pay the residence permit card fee.

Use the guide below as a planning reference, then check the official source before you pay anything or submit an application.

Tips from experience

• Use only the official Sefa Visa offices named by the Turkish Embassy in Abuja, and pay fees only through official channels.
• Ask for your bank statement close to your appointment, because it must be no more than 10 days old.
• Check that your university and programme appear in YOK records before you pay tuition.
• Apply for general health insurance within three months of admission so you do not have to buy private cover.
• Do not start any job until you hold a work permit, and remember undergraduates must finish their first year first.
• Confirm the current visa fee with Sefa Visa before you pay, because it is not published on an official fee table for Nigeria.

Documents most applicants need are marked required. Others depend on your case or on what the office asks for. Build a printable checklist.

• Valid passport Required

  Valid for at least 6 months, with two facing blank pages, two copies of the data page and any previous passports and visas.

• Biometric photographs Required

  Two photos on a white background, taken within the last 3 months.

• Acceptance letter Required

  From a Turkish university, showing a YOK ID.

• Tuition payment receipt Required

  Showing the school name, your name and the amount paid.

• Bank statement Required

  Last 6 months, issued no more than 10 days before you apply, stamped and signed by the bank.

• Birth certificate Required

• Secondary school diploma and WAEC, NECO or NABTEB result Required

  Including the scratch card, as the visa centre asks.

• Criminal record certificate Required

  Certified.

• Flight and hotel reservation Required

  Covering at least one month from the application date.

• Travel health insurance Required

  Arranged by the visa centre. Insurance bought elsewhere is not accepted.

• Degree certificates and transcripts If asked

  Needed for master's and doctoral applicants.

• NYSC certificate or exemption letter If asked

  Needed for graduate students.

• Parental consent If asked

  Needed if you are under 18, signed and notarised by both parents with their IDs.

• Sponsor documents If asked

  Needed if a parent, company or someone abroad pays. Follow the visa centre rules.

Indicative government fees only. School fees, translations, tests, courier and service charges are extra.

Living funds

No fixed amount. See the basis below.

Basis

Turkey does not publish a fixed amount of funds for student visas. The visa centre for Nigeria asks for a bank statement covering the last 6 months, issued no more than 10 days before you apply and stamped and signed by the bank, plus a receipt showing tuition paid to your university.

Tuition included

No, add your first year tuition

There is no official minimum, so show steady funds that clearly cover your tuition, accommodation and living costs. Sponsor letters must follow the visa centre rules, for example company sponsors need a signed letter, CAC certificate and director details, and sponsors abroad need a notarised letter.

Typical decision time

The Sefa Visa centre says results are usually announced in an average of 7 to 30 business days, and some cases take longer. In Turkey, the law says residence permit applications are finalised within 90 days.

How early you can apply

Apply as soon as you have your acceptance letter and have paid tuition, as Study in Turkiye advises that student visa procedures can take time.

Latest sensible time to apply

Book your visa centre appointment at least two months before your semester starts, to allow for appointment waits, the decision and travel.

1. 1

   Get your acceptance letter

   Apply to a Turkish university recognised by the Council of Higher Education (YOK) and get an acceptance letter that shows a YOK ID. Many students also apply for Turkiye Scholarships, which has its own calendar.

2. 2

   Pay tuition and get a receipt

   The visa centre for Nigeria asks for a tuition payment receipt showing the school name, your name and the amount paid.

3. 3

   Complete the online pre-application

   Turkish sticker visa applications start with the online pre-application system of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Fill it in carefully and keep the reference.

4. 4

   Book an appointment with Sefa Visa

   Since January 2026 the Turkish Embassy in Abuja has used Sefa Visa for Nigerian applicants. There is an office in Abuja and, since 1 June 2026, one in Lagos. Contact Sefa Visa for appointments and the current fees.

5. 5

   Submit your documents

   Bring your passport, photos, acceptance letter, tuition receipt, bank statement, academic records, criminal record certificate and flight and accommodation bookings. Travel health insurance is arranged by the visa centre.

6. 6

   Receive your visa and travel

   Check the visa dates and type before you book your flight. Carry your acceptance letter and tuition receipt in your hand luggage.

7. 7

   Apply for your student residence permit

   Complete the application on the e-Residence system (e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr) and submit your documents to your university's international or student affairs office, which handles student files under a protocol in force since 29 November 2023.

8. 8

   Arrange health insurance

   Apply for general health insurance (GSS) with the Social Security Institution within three months of your admission. If you miss that window, you must buy private health insurance instead.

9. 9

   Keep your permit valid

   Report any change of address within 20 working days, and apply to extend your permit within 60 days before it expires.

Work and post study rules change often. Confirm them on the official source before you plan around them.

• The bank statement was too old, unstamped or did not show steady funds for tuition and living costs.
• The acceptance letter did not show a YOK recognised university or did not match the other documents.
• Tuition payment could not be confirmed.
• Documents were missing, unclear or inconsistent, such as different names or dates across records.
• The officer doubted the purpose of study, for example when the course did not fit the applicant's background.
• A previous immigration violation or entry ban was recorded.

Refused before? Read what to do after a visa refusal.