How To Apply For A New Nigerian Passport.

If you are going to travel outside of or into Nigeria (except ECOWAS states), as a Nigerian, you will need an international passport! For the ECOWAS states, a travel certificate issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service will suffice. But my opinion is, get a passport since it will serve you in much wider options.

If you are believing for the miracle of travelling abroad, the least you could do is get an international passport. For first timers, you have two options – online or offline. For the online option, go to pay a visit to https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/; you will be required to fill a form and appear for a physical interview in effect is a documentation of your bio data (thumb print, eye scan, etc) the interview holds at any authorized NIS office in Nigeria, or at our embassies in other countries. I wouldn’t want to go all negative but we know the procedural challenges that pervade our public institutions, hence if you are applying online, especially in Nigeria, ensure you have the time and patience to wait. 

Sadly, the better and faster option would be to appear physically at the NIS authorized passport issuance office in all states of the Nigerian federation. This is a more expensive option, there are touts involved due to the long queues and you will need to make a couple of officials ‘smile’ if you want to get things going in your favour. The faster you want it, the more cash you must be prepared to shell out.

The requirements for the issuance of passports are as below:

Standard Passport

1. Local Government letter of identification.

2. Birth certificate / age declaration.

3. 2 recent colour passport photographs

4. Guarantor’s form sworn to before a commissioner of Oaths / Magistrate /  High Court Judge

5. Parents’ letter of consent for minors under 16 years

6. Marriage certificate where applicable

7. Police report in case of lost passport

8. Submit application with supporting documents to passport office / Embassy / High commission

Note:

· Acknowledgment slip & payment receipt plus 2 recent photographs are applicable in all cases

· Print out copy of duly completed application form

· Take printed and signed application forms to Passport office / Embassy / High Commission for further processing

A guarantor must attach the following documents

a. Photocopy of Data page of Nigerian standard Passport

b. Driving License or National Identity Card

The official fees released by Nigeria’s ministry of interior for the issuance of e-passports are as follows:

· 64-page frequent travelers passport would be obtained at N20,000

· e-Passports for 18 to 60 year-olds would go for N15,000

· For people below 18 years as well as 60 years and above would be procured at N8,750.

· For change of data/lost passport which would cost N20,000.

· Change of names due to marriage, divorce, and death of spouse would be effected at N8,750

· Change of data on request would attract N30,000