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The short answer
There is no single Nigerian document called a letter of no objection. The phrase is used for several different letters: a letter of non-impediment to marry (issued by the Nigeria High Commission in London for £20 plus £15 processing), a parent's consent letter for a child's passport or travel, or an organisation's written confirmation that it does not object to something. First ask whoever requested it exactly what they need and who must sign it.
Few phrases cause as much wasted effort. A registrar, school, employer, lawyer or relative tells you they need a 'letter of no objection', and you go looking for the form. There isn't one. The Nigeria High Commission in London does not list a service by that name; its consular page lists six services, none called 'no objection'. What people mean depends entirely on the context. This article sorts the common meanings, says who issues each, and lists the questions to ask before you pay for anything.
The most common meanings
| What you are doing | What is probably meant | Who issues it |
|---|---|---|
| Getting married in the UK or abroad | Letter of non-impediment to marry (single status) | Nigeria High Commission, London |
| Getting a Nigerian passport for a child | Parental consent letter | The parents, signed by both |
| A child travelling with one parent or another adult | Consent letter from the absent parent | The absent parent |
| Changing jobs, study or sponsorship | No-objection letter from the current employer, sponsor or school | That organisation, on its letterhead |
| Transactions with a Nigerian company or regulator | A formal 'no objection' from a regulator or board | The regulator or the company itself |
Marriage: the letter of non-impediment
If a registrar, church or foreign authority wants proof that you are free to marry, the Nigerian document is the letter of non-impediment. The High Commission's consular page (read October 2026) lists these requirements:
- Decree absolute if you were previously married.
- A photocopy of your Nigerian passport.
- A notarised declaration of non-impediment. For UK notarial help, see using a UK notary for Nigerian documents.
- Proof of the impending marriage.
- For those who have never married, Home Office permission to marry, as listed on the page.
The fee is a £20 service charge and a £15 processing fee, paid by postal order. If the marriage is later to be registered with the High Commission, see registering a UK marriage with the High Commission.
Children: parental consent letters
For a child's Nigerian passport, the High Commission's requirements for minors include the data pages of both parents (one of whom must be Nigerian), a consent letter signed by both parents or court evidence of sole custody, the child's birth certificate showing the parents, and a death certificate if a Nigerian parent has died. When someone says 'no objection' in this setting, a signed consent letter from both parents is usually what they want. The step-by-step is in a UK-born child's first Nigerian passport.
For a child travelling with one parent, airlines and border officers may ask for evidence the other parent agrees. There is no official Nigerian template; a dated letter with both parents' names, the child's details, the travel dates, contact numbers and a copy of the absent parent's passport is the usual content. Check the airline's own rules before you fly.
Employers, schools and sponsors
Outside the family, 'no objection' usually means a letter from an organisation saying it does not object to you doing something: leaving to take up a new role, studying elsewhere, or using a scholarship. These are written by the organisation on its letterhead, not by any government office. Ask the person requesting it what it must say, who must sign it, and whether it needs a stamp or certification.
A note on foreign exchange letters for students
The High Commission's student registration service exists for Nigerian students in the UK, and the page says visitor visa holders and British passport holders are not eligible for foreign exchange letters. If a Nigerian bank has asked your family for a High Commission letter to support school fees under Form A, check you are eligible before applying.
A quick test helps: if the request came from a UK registrar or a foreign marriage authority, think non-impediment; if it came from an airline, school or passport office and involves a child, think parental consent; if it came from your employer, sponsor or a Nigerian company, think of a letter from that organisation. In each case the issuer is different, and none of them is a general Nigerian government form.
Questions to ask before you do anything
- Exactly what must the letter say? Ask for a sample or the wording.
- Who must issue it: you, a parent, an employer, or the High Commission?
- Does it need certification: notarised, apostilled, or stamped by the High Commission?
- Is there a validity period, for example dated within the last three months?
- Original or scan?
Write the answers down in an email so there is no dispute later. Be wary of anyone offering to 'process' a letter of no objection for a fee; the High Commission's fees are fixed and paid by postal order or its e-payment portal, and in September 2026 it publicly corrected a false fee claim.
Where Pryme fits
Most of these letters have no money angle. Where they do, for instance supporting fees for a family member's studies, keeping pounds and naira in one account helps. A Pryme Personal Account can be opened from the UK, holds GBP and NGN with local details for each, and Swap shows the rate and the fee before you approve. See the multicurrency account.
Questions people ask
Does the Nigeria High Commission in London issue a letter of no objection?
Not under that name. Its consular page lists a letter of non-impediment to marry, a pensioners attestation letter, police character checks, student registration and document authentication.
How much is a letter of non-impediment from the Nigeria High Commission London?
A £20 service charge plus a £15 processing fee, paid by postal order, according to its consular page (read October 2026).
Is a consent letter the same as a letter of no objection?
In child passport and travel cases, usually yes. The High Commission asks for a consent letter signed by both parents for a minor's passport.
Do I need to notarise a letter of no objection?
It depends on who asked for it. The non-impediment letter needs a notarised declaration; for other letters, ask the requester what certification they accept.
Sources
- Nigeria High Commission London: Consular services and fees · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission London: passport requirements and notices · accessed Oct 2026
- Nigeria High Commission London: Immigration (e-passport, emergency travel certificate) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.