Your Pathway to Legal Status in the UK: A Guide for Nigeria, Eritrea, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda

The UK remains a top destination for migrants from across Africa, including Nigeria, Eritrea, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda. But immigration rules have become stricter in 2025 — with longer settlement periods, higher language requirements, and tighter visa criteria.

This guide explains how to legally move to the UK, stay long term, and work toward citizenship. Whether you're reuniting with family, studying, or seeking work in healthcare, you’ll find clear steps and practical tips to help you succeed.

Types of UK Visas: What Are Your Options?

UK visas are generally divided into short-term and long-term categories, based on the purpose and length of your stay. Below is an overview of the most common visa types that may be relevant to migrants from Africa.

Short-Term Visas (Up to 6 months)

• Standard Visitor Visa: For tourism, family visits, or short business trips.
• Marriage Visitor Visa: For couples getting married in the UK who don’t plan to settle immediately.
• Short-Term Study Visa: For English language courses lasting up to 11 months.

These visa types do not permit work or long-term settlement and are strictly temporary.

Long-Term Visas (6 months or more)

• Skilled Worker Visa: For professionals who have a job offer in the UK.
• Health and Care Worker Visa: A faster, cheaper route specifically for NHS workers, care assistants, and certain health professionals. For more information, see Top Jobs in Healthcare for Immigrants in the UK.
• Student Visa: For those enrolled in UK schools, colleges, or universities.
• Graduate Visa: Allows international graduates to stay and work for 2 years after completing their UK degree.
• Family Visa: For those joining a partner, parent, or child who is a British citizen or settled in the UK.

These longer-term visas often come with work rights and may lead to permanent residency or citizenship, depending on your visa category and length of stay.

Do You Need a Visa to Enter the UK?

Citizens of Nigeria, Eritrea, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda must apply for a visa before entering the UK — whether for work, study, family reunification, or tourism.

The UK does not currently offer visa-free entry to any of these countries, even for short visits. This applies regardless of how many times you’ve visited the UK before. Each trip requires a new approved visa.

However, if you are a dual national and hold a passport from a country like the UK, USA, or an EU member state, you may qualify for visa-free entry or automatic residence rights. Dual nationals should always check which passport offers better mobility and protection.

To understand how your African passport ranks in terms of visa-free travel globally, read How Many Countries Allow Visa-Free Travel from Africa?.

How to Apply for a UK Visa: Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s a simplified overview of the main steps:

Step 1: Choose the Right Visa

Go to gov.uk and select the visa type that matches your goal (work, study, visiting family, or joining a spouse).

Step 2: Gather Required Documents

You’ll need:

• A valid passport
• Proof of sufficient funds
• Completed visa application form
• Tuberculosis test certificate (required for many African countries)
• Invitation letter or Certificate of Sponsorship (for work/family visas)
• English language test results (required for most routes and stricter since 2025)

Step 3: Pay the Visa Fee

Examples of current visa fees:

• Visitor Visa (6 months): £115
• Skilled Worker Visa (up to 3 years): £719
• Student Visa: £490
• Spouse/Partner Visa: £1,846

Fees may be higher for applications made within the UK or longer visas.

Step 4: Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)

Most applicants must also pay this fee for access to the NHS:

• Adults: £1,035 per year
• Students and children: £776 per year
  Health and Care Workers and their dependants: Exempt

Step 5: Book a Biometric Appointment

You must attend a visa application centre (VAC) to provide fingerprints and a photograph. African applicants can book appointments in:

• Nigeria
• Ghana
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Ethiopia
• Zimbabwe
• Eritrea: A temporary visa application centre was scheduled in Asmara, Eritrea on 21 May 2025. If you missed it or are looking for future opportunities, email UKVisaApplicationsAsmara@fcdo.gov.uk to express your interest. Check for updates and new locations on the UK government site: gov.uk/find-a-visa-application-centre.

Step 6: Wait for a Decision

Processing times:

• Visitor, Student, and Work visas: ~3 weeks
• Family visas: ~12 weeks

You can pay for a faster decision:

• £500 for a 5-day decision
• £1,000 for next working day service (where available)

Make sure to monitor your email (including spam folder) for decision updates from UK Visas and Immigration.

Claiming Refugee or Asylum Status

If you’re fleeing war, persecution, or serious threats to your safety, you may apply for asylum in the UK — but only after arrival. You must show a real risk of harm due to your race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or social group (e.g. LGBTQ+).

Asylum seekers are interviewed by immigration officials. If approved, you’ll receive Refugee Status for 5 years, with the right to live, work, and access public services.

Ready to work? This guide to finding a job as a refugee in the UK can help.

Temporary and Permanent Residency

Once you’re in the UK on a long-term visa, you may be able to apply for residency, but the rules have changed.

Temporary Residence

Most work, student, and family visas grant temporary residence from 1 to 5 years. These can often be extended, but they do not automatically lead to settlement.

Permanent Residence (Indefinite Leave to Remain – ILR)

As of May 2025, the UK government now requires most migrants to spend 10 years in the UK before applying for permanent status. This is a significant change from the previous 5-year rule.

To qualify for ILR, you must:

• Live legally in the UK for 10 continuous years
• Show a clean immigration and criminal record
• Meet stricter English language requirements (applies to dependants too)
• Show you have contributed to UK society 

Some individuals may still access fast-track settlement routes, especially high-contributing professionals.

Pathways to British Citizenship

Once you have received Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), you may become eligible for British citizenship — typically after one additional year of legal residence.

Requirements:

To apply for citizenship through naturalisation, you must:

• Have held ILR for at least 12 months
• Have lived legally in the UK for at least 10 years total
• Pass the Life in the UK Test (a multiple-choice exam on British history, culture, and laws)
• Meet updated English language standards, which now apply to both main applicants and adult dependants
• Show good character and a clean immigration/criminal record

Benefits of British Citizenship:

• Apply for a UK passport
• Access public services and healthcare
• Vote and stand for office
• No more visa renewals
• Sponsor family more easily

Employment Opportunities for Africans in the UK

Finding a job in the UK can help secure your legal status, provide financial stability, and open up future residency or citizenship options.

In-Demand Jobs:

Migrants from African countries are often employed in key industries that need workers. These include:

• Healthcare
• Construction and Skilled Trades
• Logistics and Delivery
• Hospitality and Cleaning Services
• Childcare and Social Care
• Information Technology (IT)

To explore roles in this growing sector, take a look at the top healthcare jobs for immigrants in the UK.

Resources for Jobseekers and Refugees:

• Refugee Council UK
• NHS Careers
• Local African diaspora networks
• Job sites (Indeed, Reed, CV-Library)

Jobs can also help you demonstrate contribution when applying for permanent residency under the UK’s new immigration rules.

Challenges and Support Systems

Migrating to the UK is a significant life change, and while it offers opportunity, many people face real difficulties along the way.

Common Challenges:

• High cost of living and lack of affordable housing
• Language barriers when adjusting to everyday life or work
• Discrimination or bias in the job market or society
• Complex immigration procedures, delays, and rejections
• Emotional struggles, such as homesickness, isolation, or guilt

For tips on managing your emotional well-being while living abroad, check out these 8 guilt-free ways to love expat life.

Where to Get Help:

These trusted organisations offer free or low-cost support:

• Refugee Action UK
• British Red Cross
• Migrants Organise
• Community African Network

Staying emotionally close to loved ones abroad can be challenging, but this guide on long-distance connection offers simple, practical ways to maintain strong relationships across borders.

Find Your Place 

Building a legal life in the UK takes time, effort, and resilience — especially under the stricter immigration rules introduced in 2025. Whether you're applying for a visa, working toward citizenship, or simply settling into a new job or study programme, staying connected to your support network back home can make a big difference.

Yolla makes it easy and affordable to stay in touch with your loved ones across Africa — no matter where you are in the UK.

Why Use Yolla?

• Low-cost calls to any phone: no app or internet needed on the other end
• Earn free credit: get $3 when friends join and top up
• Your number stays visible: so people always know it’s you
• Send SMS and top up mobiles in 100+ countries
• No hidden fees: just reliable service in over 190 countries

Whether you’re calling to check in with family, reach out to an embassy, or support loved ones from afar, Yolla helps you stay connected while you focus on building your future.