Before planning to travel out of the country, whether within Africa or beyond, you need to get a
passport.
Your valid Nigerian passport identifies you as a Nigerian citizen and is useful for intended travels outside Nigeria. It also gives you the freedom to return home from any other country you may find yourself in.
A few years ago, the only way to get a passport was to visit the Nigerian Immigrations office nearest to you and make enquiries. Then you would be given a form and told all the documents you need to get. When you fill it out, you’ll return with proof of payment and submit that form along with photocopies of your documents. The queue is always long so you may be advised to pay someone to fast-track the process and give you a pickup date. The pickup date depends on if the passports are made in your state or not.
Getting your passport online is much cheaper today. These days, you can speed up your application process by going online for inquiries, payments and to apply for your passport. Make sure you have certain documents present with you when visiting their office. For the documents required see the
Nigeria Immigration Service website.
Note: the passport photographs must be recent and show your full face to your neck with no discolouration. Carry 4 or 6 passport photographs to be on the safe side in case you need more than two passport photos.
how to apply for a Standard Nigerian e-Passport:
- Complete passport application form online. Make payment and get Application ID and Reference Number. For payment instructions, visit https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/passport/epassport and input all the information requested of you. Payments can be made with any Visa Card.
- Using your Application ID and Reference number gotten online when you filled your form, print out the Guarantor’s form. This form is to be signed by a guarantor and commissioner of oath in a competent court. To download the guarantor’s form and see the requirements for a guarantor, input your data here https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/passport/passportGuarantor
- Submit completed passport application form with other requirements in person at passport office selected during online payment process for further processing with an immigration service agent.
Note: Applicants are required to appear at chosen Immigration Office for the photograph and biometric data capturing. Nigerian passports are valid for at least five years before they need to be renewed.
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This article was first published on 10th May 2018
ann
Ann Esievoadje is a freelance writer who is passionate about encouraging a reading culture and personal development. She has authored two books, The Quilt (fiction) and Being Mummy and Me (non-fiction). She manages Pulchra Publishing which offers a content creation/editing, transcription, different forms of writing (including Ghostwriting) service and her blog, Life Love and Anything Goes at annesievoadje.blogspot.com.ng. You can reach her at annesievoadje@gmail.com
Comments (5)
Your write up on Nigeria e-passport is quite educative. May I know if the Immigration ‘agents’ mentioned are recognised by the government or they are operating on their own?. What is the need to go through an agent which might make the essence of on-line application worthless if one needs to go through a middle man that will demand extra fee?
They are immigration officers who help to fast-track the process for those who are on a time crunch. Using them is at your discretion, it is not mandatory. The extra fees they collect is covered by a caveat on the NIS website as non-refundable administrative fees (see https://immigration.gov.ng/standard-passport/)
Also, online registration cannot capture your biometric data. You still need to do that with an immigration officer/agent at the NIS office.
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