Planning northern lights trip? What Nigerians should know about visas,costs

Few sights compare with a sky glowing green above a snowy landscape. This natural display, known as the northern lights or aurora borealis, attracts travellers from around the world.

The lights occur when charged particles from the sun interact with gases in the Earth’s upper atmosphere, producing colourful displays across the sky.

For Nigerians hoping to witness the phenomenon, however, the biggest challenge may not be the cold weather but securing a visa and budgeting for the trip.

Tromsø, a city in northern Norway, is a popular destination for aurora seekers because of its location within the Arctic region. But before booking flights or accommodation, travellers need to understand the visa process, the costs involved and the best time to visit.

Here is what Nigerians need to know before planning the trip.

Start with the visa before booking flights

Many people book flights and hotels first. That is the riskiest order.

A visa can be refused, and the visa fee is not returned if it is. Treat the visa as the first step, and only commit to the rest once it is in your passport.

Which visa do Nigerians need?

Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland are among the countries popular with travellers hoping to see the northern lights. All four belong to the Schengen area.

A Schengen visa allows eligible visitors to travel within the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period, subject to the conditions of the visa.

Nigerian passport holders generally need a Schengen visa for these trips because Nigeria is not among the countries whose citizens are exempt from the requirement.

Travellers may also come across information about the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). However, ETIAS is intended for travellers who are visa-exempt, so it is not a substitute for the Schengen visa required by Nigerian citizens.

Where to apply for a Schengen visa

The country where a traveller intends to spend the most time generally determines where the visa application should be submitted.

For instance, someone planning to spend a week in Tromsø and a shorter period in another Schengen country would ordinarily apply through Norway.

If the traveller intends to spend an equal number of nights in multiple countries, the application should generally be submitted to the country of first entry.

Visa application procedures and submission centres vary by country, so applicants should confirm the relevant requirements before making an appointment.

Finland’s government guidance directs applicants to VFS Global for visa applications in Nigeria. Sweden’s embassy guidance also identifies VFS Global centres in Abuja and Lagos.

Available secondary sources indicate that Norwegian visa applications from Nigeria are handled through VFS Global centres in Lagos or Abuja, while Icelandic applications may be processed through Norway. Applicants should confirm the current procedure through the official Norwegian and Icelandic visa guidance before proceeding.

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Where to apply for the main aurora countries

How to avoid visa scams

Some people claim to have connections at the visa centres. Embassies warn against them.

The Portuguese embassy, for example, tells applicants not to accept help from strangers claiming links to VFS. TLScontact says its paid extras do not buy a visa, an earlier appointment or faster processing.

Forged documents are far worse. German missions say they lead to automatic rejection and a Schengen-wide entry ban.

Schengen visa cost

The fee is €90 for an adult and €45 for a child aged 6 to 11. A visa centre adds its own service fee.

You also need travel insurance with at least €30,000 of emergency medical cover. One 2026 guide estimates the full cost at ₦200,000 to ₦300,000 or more once all charges are added, but naira amounts shift with exchange rates.

The chances of getting Schengen visa

European Commission figures show that 47.9 per cent of Schengen visa applications submitted in Nigeria were refused in 2025, compared with a worldwide refusal rate of 14.6 per cent.

The figures highlight the importance of preparing a complete and credible application. However, they do not determine the outcome of an individual application.

Travellers should not assume that applying to a Nordic country will make approval easier. Each application is assessed according to the relevant requirements and the applicant’s circumstances.

Providing genuine documents, explaining the purpose of the visit and demonstrating the ability to finance the trip can help applicants present their circumstances clearly.

Documents Nigerians need for a Schengen visa

Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you plan to leave Europe. It must be less than ten years old and have two blank pages.

You also need proof of the purpose of the trip, where you will stay, enough money for the stay and the journey home, and evidence that you intend to return to Nigeria. The European Commission names no minimum bank balance, and a consulate may ask for more, so read the page of the country you are applying to.

Duration of Schengen visa processing 

Travellers can generally submit a Schengen visa application up to six months before their intended trip. The application should be submitted at least 15 days before departure.

A decision normally takes about 15 calendar days, although processing may extend to 45 calendar days in certain circumstances.

These periods do not include the time spent waiting for an appointment. Appointment availability can vary, particularly during busy travel seasons.

Applicants planning to see the northern lights should begin preparations early enough to account for appointment delays, document requests and possible changes to their travel plans.

What to expect at the European border

Europe now runs a digital border system called the Entry/Exit System. It records a passport check, a face photo, and your entry and exit dates.

It applies to visa holders too. Your fingerprints are already on file from the visa application. Refusing to give biometric data means being refused entry.

The best time to see the northern lights?

The season in Tromsø runs roughly from late September to early April, with the best nights between October and March. 

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) identifies the period around 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. as a useful window for aurora observations, although displays can occur at other times.

One guide adds that strong geomagnetic storms are nearly twice as likely around the spring and autumn equinoxes, in late September to October and February to March.

The sun’s 11-year cycle peaked in October 2024, so we are now in a calmer phase that is still above average. Sources disagree on whether this is the “last strong season”, and one Norway travel guide says the next two winters are good. No tour can guarantee a sighting.

What a night out costs

A 2026 Tromsø travel guide puts a standard guided aurora tour at about 1,700 to 2,200 Norwegian kroner. Small photography groups cost 2,500 to 3,500 kroner.

Tour companies there advise three to four nights, to allow for cloudy weather. Flights and hotels will be the biggest costs, so get live quotes before you commit.

A simple plan

Pick one main country, gather your documents, and book a visa appointment. Wait for the decision before you pay for anything you can’t get back.

If the visa comes through, you can plan the fun part with confidence.

If it doesn’t, you have lost the fee, not the cost of a whole trip. That is the point of doing things in this order.