The world has become globalized and access to it is dependent on the type of passport you have. Many people travel for various reasons. I started journeying into the world of visa free destinations in 2012, to know how to use my travel freedom even though it has limited access compared to that of the west or Seychelles or even Mauritius. Officially a Nigerian passport can travel 45 countries but potentially 64 countries visa free. The question is, where would you like to go? Regardless of where I live I’m on a mission to explore all 45 countries and 19 more my passport can go.
What is Visa-free?
Queuing up for visas can be monotonous and tiresome, so for me, a visa free destination does it, especially countries that are yet to be explored who likely need my money more than the very west we all like to travel.
Visa-free is traveling overseas or across borders of your country to another country without the need for a travel visa. This is often made possible as a result of bi-lateral agreements between two countries.
It is also good to know that you need a valid passport to enable you access to these countries. For some countries you are required to have a visa upon arrival, and for some an electronic application but not as cumbersome as applying at the embassy. Visa free trip for me is not just about where I can go but more about my options in living in other places in terms of financial freedom, personal freedom, the ability to do business in multiple places, and opportunities for a tax free haven.
Let’s get into why people travel.
Why Do People Travel?
It is very likely that more than 50 percent of Africans won’t leave their countries to another on a vacation till they die. This is why for me, I educate people to travel right by creating Travel Radio, as well as various Facebook communities.
Travel (Japa) is not all about going to the west, you could travel to a neighboring country for a weekend get-away. People travel for various reasons either to;
- Relax
- Escape reality
- Explore cultures
- Learn
- To see better places
- Meet new people
- Visit families
- Explore opportunities
… and the list goes on and on.
For me, I love seeing different cultures, food, sites and places, working remotely, and clearing my head for some sanity. Like currently I am working as a digital nomad in Rwanda from the comfort of my apartment and sometimes in coffee bars with access to the internet. This is why I created Digital Nomads Africa for hybrid working in suitable destinations from within 30 days to 365 days.
Why would you like to travel, leave a comment?
Types of Travel
There are different types of travel, you may now decide the type of travel you want and explore it with your loved ones.
Here are some types of travel;
- Leisure
…for relaxation, enjoyment, pleasure, and special interest. Short breaks are common in neighboring countries.
- Corporate
… is also referred to as business tourism. It’s a trip that is associated with work such as; meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions.
- Specialist
…this is a form of niche tourism, it’s a type of travel that meets specific needs for a particular type of tourist. Examples are adventure, health, education, cultural, and sustainable tourism.
- Visiting friends and relatives
… here, you visit friends and relatives across the world. This is one of the most common type of traveling.
- Day trips
… a valuable contribution to the tourism economy. People take a day trip to go shopping, visit tourist attractions, attend events, visit the countryside, or take part in various activities.
So, guess you are getting warmed up for adventures.
Types of Travelers
Now that you are getting excited to either take your first trip or do more travels, let’s list the type of travelers you are likely to be. There are different types of traveler and most people term them with whatever names that best define it;
- The nature lover– these can be lovers of beaches, landscapes, safaris, sea divers, and campers. They travel to explore nature, some go as far as nude beaches and resorts.
- Photographer– these are people who are always behind their cameras taking photos of places, animals, and enjoy looking back on memories made.
- The planner– this type of traveler plans out their trip by detailing and organizing every activity. They research and make the most out of their trip.
- Business Traveler– These travelers enjoy trips relating to conferences, training, exhibitions, meetings, incentives, and temporary work contracts to work in a location for a specified period of time.
- Backpackers– they are some sort of a solo traveler or they travel in groups but mostly with backpacks, camping, using holiday hostels, hitch hiking, but mostly adventurous.
- Budget Traveler– they are the frugal one who wouldn’t do anything unless it’s the cheapest option.
One way or the other, you fall somewhere. Now it’s time to know destinations you can travel to without visas.
Visa Free Destinations
You should also take note that it is not automatic to rock up to these countries without prior prep, such as valid passport, health insurance, hotel reservation, return tickets, proof of sufficient funds, itinerary, and in some cases an invite from someone resident in the country as in the case of Namibia and some Islands. With the number of countries I can go to, it’s an opportunity to do business as an entrepreneur in these destinations.
Here are countries you can travel to visa-free not requiring a visa stamp;
- Barbados
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Chad
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Cook Islands
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Liberia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Micronesia
- Montserrat
- Niger
- Niue
- Palau
- Palestine
- Pitcairn Islands
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- South Ossetia
- Togo
- Transnistria
Visa-On-Arrival Destinations
This simply means you are allowed to arrive in a country without visa approval prior to leaving your country. However, it will require that you make some visa fee at the port of entry. You will then be given a stamp in many cases as it may differ with countries as a proof you visited the country and allows you a certain duration in the country.
Visa-on-arrival allows you temporary access into the country and you may not be allowed to work, stay or access government benefits. Some countries may allow you to apply for residency while some may require you to return to apply should you stay in their country.
- Comoros
- Ethiopia
- Iran
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Seychelles
- Somalia
- Somaliland
- Timor-Leste
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
eVisa Destinations
These are countries that require electronic application which can some sort be classified under visa free destinations or better still call it a form of visa-on-arrival as they are not cumbersome. The main difference with visa-on-arrival is that you will need to register for authorization online before you travel.
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Ascension Island
- Djibouti
- Gabon
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lesotho
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Saint Helena
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- South Sudan
- Suriname
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
eVisa/Visa-On-Arrival
- Cambodia
- Madagascar
- Uganda
There are countries that are territories, and these are unrecognized or partially recognized countries that are dependent, disputed, or restricted. Example of such countries are;
1. Palestine
2. Somaliland
3. South Ossetia
4. Transnistria
It’s good to know that visiting these countries are subject to certain conditions which might require checking the government sites for clarifications as immigration policies change every now and then. These countries are however visa free destinations for the Nigerian passport holder.
These countries are dependent and autonomous territories of the following;
New Zealand
- Cook Islands
- Niue
United Kingdom
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn Islands
- Ascension Island
- Saint Helena
Start Traveling
So now you can decide where you want to go for starters. You may be a resident of some countries and few of these destinations might be relatively close to you to explore. As you already know, traveling or Japa doesn’t necessarily mean traveling to the west because of the opportunities of earning in dollars or earn in hard currencies. People now are doing remote work or call it hybrid working and are earning dollars from the comfort of their couches in any country of their choice.
Our community of Digital Nomads Africa promotes working from home and traveling to wherever is enabling them to work so long as they have access to the internet, power and they have got their laptops and smartphones. We encourage our members to develop digital skills and save up to travel and work from another country.
Altogether, as a Nigerian passport holder, you can travel to over or more than 64 countries in the world. Some countries are however not safe to, travel due to unrest. This not to say there is no bounty and beauty of some sort there, just that religious laws, militia, and political unrest does not make it a safe place to visit.
