After a week of general public anticipation, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is ready to start receiving international passport applications online, therefore removing past stress that used to make the process quite a burden for the applicants.

From Monday, 8 January 2024, Nigerians who are seeking to apply either as first-timers or are bidding for renewal only need to follow five simple steps and then they can expect their document to be issued within 14 days.

Before the launch date, the Interior Minister, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo had been meeting stakeholders to hold demo sessions towards a smooth running of the online portal that applicants need to visit. This is certainly a novelty compared to the old ways of applying which could take up several months before they can get their hands on the leaflets.

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Visit Passport Portal

To get things started, an applicant is expected to visit the international passport application page – https://passport.immigration.gov.ng/. Here, they are to type in their National Identity Number (NIN) which every Nigerian is expected to have. This is an essential requirement that must be provided before any applicant can be allowed to advance to the next stage.

After filling in NIN

As soon as the applicant has been verified through their identification number, then they are asked to insert other information such as their birth information and a few other details that help to validate their authenticity. With the removal of physical contact in the application process comes a strict screening that ensures that only the right people can make a request.

Submit Imagery

The verification continues even after an applicant must have entered their NIN data and must have presented proof of their birth. To wrap up the screening phase, the applicant is now required to upload their passport photograph which ought to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard for ID photos. This is simply a set of guidelines for the biometric facial recognition of passports and other travel document photos.

Having gone through the main hurdles of identification, the next is for the applicant to visit a Nigeria Immigration Service close to them to submit to a biometric capturing. This would involve submitting fingerprints or providing facial recognition data that would be peculiar to each international passport applicant.

Collect Ready Passport

The last process of the international passport procedure is probably the least favourite for any applicant which is the waiting period. But unlike the previous instances of application which oftentimes amount to several months of expectation, the new upgrade only permits a maximum period of two weeks before the passport leaflets can be issued to the successful applicant. This is easy-peasy for those who are familiar with the strenuous campaign they once had to undergo.

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.