NEWS
Lagos Passport Office now operates Saturdays, Sundays
The International Passport Office in Ikeja, Lagos, has begun operations on Saturdays and Sundays to meet the rising demand of applicants, TopNaija reports.
Mrs Rose Bukar, its new Passport Control Officer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday that the extra duty was to speed-up service delivery to applicants.
“We want to ensure that applicants spend lesser time in processing passports.
“We shall also continue to initiate measures that will enhance smooth and fast service to Nigerians,” she said.
“This weekend, we witnessed an unexpected turn-up of applicants, but we paid special attention to the vulnerable one.
“The Nigerian Immigration Service has introduced some special compassionate measures for the vulnerable, especially those with health challenges, the elderly, the heavily pregnant, and those living with disabilities.
“In the last seven days, about 800 passports were produced.
“I am optimistic that with more capturing devices, the queue will gradually diminish,” she said.
On the backlog of passport applications, she said that the office was getting to “a state of equilibrium”.
“The office has cleared passport applications up to those submitted in September.
“But, I want Nigerians to understand that application for a fresh passport requires a minimum of six weeks; those seeking to refresh will have to give us three weeks,” she said.
Bukar implored Nigerians to always permit the service to carry out necessary investigation on the application anytime they came to apply.
“The Nigerian Passport is the security architecture of the person holding it; there is no short cut to these security checks. All Nigerians should take note of this,” she declared.
The Nigeria Immigration Service earlier announced that the registration and issuance of the new international passport would cost N70,000, and it turned around the entire passport application process by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to Six weeks timeline from 1st of June, 2021, so as to ensure seamless, transparent, as well as according human dignity to applicants and fulfill citizenship integrity.
About the Enhanced E-Passport
The Enhanced E-Passport is part of the new reforms approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria. It is a product of intensive review of the existing e-passport booklet which has been in circulation for over 10 years and has only 5-year validity.
Features and benefits of the Enhanced E-Passport Reforms
These include:
- Introduction of a new security enhanced passport;
- Polycarbonate technology that enhances the quality of the passport;
- Ten year validity booklet that saves frequent visit to passport offices;
- Automation of issuance process to bring about transparency and address touting / middlemen;
- Strictly online payment based;
- Introduction of Electronic Document Management System that will ensure:
- Tracking of application,
- Effective communication with applicants on status of the application, and collection,
- Eliminate human interference,
- Enhances document storage system,
- Enhances prompt decision making,
- Ease process flow,
- Provision of conducive processing environment for applicants;
- Provision of effective and compliant address mechanism.
Categories of the Enhanced E-Passport
The new Passport is available in these categories
- 32 page 5-year validity (Adults and Minors)
- 64 page 5-year validity (Adults and Minors)
- 64 page 10-year validity (Adults (18+) only)
There is option for adults to pick from any of the three categories stated above. However, young children of less than 18 years age, have the option of choosing between category i and ii only. 10-year validity passport is not for persons below 18 years based on ICAO specifications and due to expected change in their physical appearance.
Official Fees of the Enhanced E-Passport
| S/N | CATEGORIES OF PASSPORT | APPROVED PASSPORT FEE | |
| NAIRA (N) (local) | DOLLAR ($) (foreign) | ||
| 1. | 32 Page 5-year Standard Passport | 25,000.00 | 130.00 |
| 2. | 64 Page 5-year Standard Passport | 35,000.00 | 150.00 |
| 3. | 64 Page 10-year Standard Passport for adults only (18 years and above) | 70,000.00 | 230.00 |
| 4. | 32 Page 5-year Official Passport | 15,000.00 | N/A |
Commencement
The roll out of the Enhanced E-Passport has been rescheduled to 29th April,2019 to finalize the integration of the National Identity Number (NIN) with the Enhanced E-Passport.
Requirements
Requirements for the Enhanced E-Passport is the same with old passports with regards to application types, in addition National Identification Number (NIN) is required and mandatory for issuance of the New Passport.
Note: Data on the old passport will be the same on the Enhanced E-Passport.
How to Apply for the new Nigerian Passport
