Searching for a “friends visa” is understandable. You and two or three friends want to travel, study or live abroad together, and you want one simple application that covers everyone. The honest answer is that no country, including Australia, New Zealand and Portugal, runs a visa category called a friends visa. Each person applies on their own, is judged on their own circumstances, and can be approved or refused independently.
An earlier version of this article suggested that groups of friends get faster processing, easier approval or special working holiday access in these countries. That was misleading, particularly for Nigerian passport holders, so it has been rewritten. Below you will find what is true, which visas friends actually use, and how to plan a trip together without hurting anyone’s application.
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The short answer, country by country
| Country | Is there a friends visa? | What friends really use | Working holiday for Nigerians? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | No | Visitor visa, applied for separately by each traveller | No. Nigeria is not on the list of eligible countries for the subclass 417 visa |
| New Zealand | No | Visitor visa, applied for separately | No, as Nigeria is not among the working holiday partner countries. Check the Immigration New Zealand site for updates |
| Portugal | No | Schengen short-stay visa for a visit; national visas for study, work or passive income | Not applicable |
If you read elsewhere that a working holiday visa is open to Nigerians in Australia or New Zealand, check the official immigration website for that country. Working holiday arrangements are bilateral agreements and the list of partner countries is fixed by each government.
Australia: visitor visa for friends
Australia’s visitor visa is the usual route for tourism and visiting friends. Each friend submits their own application with their own documents. The officer looks at whether you are a genuine visitor: your ties to Nigeria (job, business, family, studies), your finances, your travel history and your plan. Applying on the same day does not link your files in a way that helps, and an officer will not accept “we are travelling together” as evidence of a strong case.
- Each person needs a passport valid for the full period of stay.
- Each person should show their own funds and bank statements, or a clear sponsorship arrangement.
- If you are visiting a friend who lives in Australia, that friend can provide an invitation or sponsorship letter, but it does not replace your own evidence.
- Do not submit a copy of someone else’s documents as your own, or share a single bank account balance among several people.
New Zealand: visitor visa for friends
New Zealand also requires Nigerian citizens to apply for a visitor visa before travelling. The process is also individual. Typical evidence includes proof of funds, an itinerary, accommodation plans, evidence of ties to Nigeria and a return or onward ticket. Group travel does not reduce the evidence you need. A friend’s strong application does not strengthen yours.
Portugal: visiting and living with friends
For a holiday, Nigerians generally apply for a Schengen short-stay visa through the Portuguese consular process. The standard fee for adults is €90, and decisions can take from about 15 days to as long as 45 days in some cases. Apply well ahead of time and make sure each traveller has their own travel insurance, accommodation booking and proof of funds.
If you want to live in Portugal long term, the visa depends on your purpose. The D7 visa is for people with regular passive income, such as a pension, rental income or investments. At the time of writing the D7 guidance for 2026 points to passive income of about €920 a month and savings of around €11,040, with processing of roughly 60 days. A salary does not count as passive income for the D7, because that is a different category. Friends who want to live together can share housing, but each person must separately meet the income and document requirements. Confirm current figures on the official Portuguese immigration and consular pages before you rely on them.
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What really helps when friends travel together
| Thing to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Each person builds their own file | Officers assess individuals, not groups |
| Use the same itinerary and dates where you really are travelling together | Consistency avoids doubts, as long as it is real |
| Book refundable flights and accommodation first | If one person is refused, the others are not left with sunk costs |
| Keep your funds separate and genuine | Borrowed or temporary balances can lead to refusals |
| Explain your relationship briefly in the cover letter | A sentence about who you are travelling with is enough |
| Agree in advance what happens if one visa is delayed or refused | Avoids conflict and last-minute losses |
A worked example
This is hypothetical. Three Nigerian friends, Zainab, Emeka and Ife, want a two-week trip to Portugal. Zainab runs a business, Emeka is a salaried employee, and Ife is a final-year student.
- They agree on dates and a shared itinerary, and book refundable hotel stays for the whole group.
- Zainab shows business registration, tax records and statements. Emeka provides an employer’s letter confirming approved leave, payslips and statements. Ife shows her university enrolment letter and a sponsor’s declaration with the sponsor’s own bank statements.
- Each of them buys a travel insurance policy with at least €30,000 of cover in their own name.
- They book appointments as early as possible and submit individually.
- They book flights only after approval, or choose a fully refundable fare.
One of them could be approved while another is refused. That is the reason for refundable bookings and a plan agreed beforehand.
Mistakes to avoid
- Believing a group application exists. It does not, and anyone selling one may be a scammer.
- Paying for a friends visa. If a website offers one, check the official immigration page.
- Assuming a working holiday option. Working holiday visas are limited to partner countries.
- Using one person’s bank statement for the whole group. This can look like pooled or borrowed funds.
- Booking non-refundable flights early. Wait for the decision or choose refundable fares.
- Writing identical letters. Officers notice copied cover letters and identical documents.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a friends visa anywhere?
We are not aware of any country that offers a visa category for friends. Friends travel on visitor, study, work or residence visas, each applied for individually.
Can Nigerians get the Australian working holiday visa?
No. Nigeria is not on the eligible-countries list for the subclass 417 visa. The visa is also limited by age (18 to 30) and funds, so it is not a general route for friends.
Does applying together make approval faster?
No. Processing is by individual file and depends on the mission’s workload and your documents.
Can my friend sponsor me to visit?
A friend living abroad can write an invitation or sponsorship letter and, depending on the country, provide supporting documents. You still need to prove your own ties, finances and purpose.
Can friends move to Portugal together on one visa?
No. Each adult applies for their own long-stay visa and meets the income and document rules individually. Housing can be shared.
What if one friend is refused?
Decisions are independent, so others can still travel. Decide in advance whether the group will rebook, wait or go ahead without that person.
Final thoughts
You cannot apply for a friends visa, but you can plan a trip together sensibly. Treat each application as a separate case, build strong individual evidence, use refundable bookings and read the official page for each country. For Nigerians, the realistic options are visitor visas for Australia and New Zealand, a Schengen short-stay visa for Portugal, or a long-stay national visa if you meet the specific rules. Treat any offer of a guaranteed friends visa as a warning sign.
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