Once upon a time, obtaining your first Nigerian international passport was as simple as making a trip to your local immigration office, filling out a form, and paying a token sum of N15,000. After a quick data capture, you would leave with your new passport the same day. Sadly, those days are gone, and they are unlikely to return.

Today, acquiring a new Nigerian international passport involves submitting a plethora of personal documents and writing several letters to the Nigerian Immigration Service. Moreover, the price for a first-time passport has tripled since the good old days.

Previously, a Nigerian passport was issued on the same day as the data capture. However, this narrative has changed drastically. It now takes an entire day just to complete the data capture process.

Depending on the availability of passport booklets, you might have to wait 90 to 180 days for pickup. Although this might sound extreme, passport office lobbies in Lagos and Abuja are still crowded with travelers eager to secure their passports.

What Does it Cost?

The cost of obtaining a Nigerian international passport varies depending on the volume of the booklet sought by the applicant. Currently, a 32-page passport booklet costs N15,000, while a 64-page passport booklet is priced at N20,000. Both booklets have a five-year validity period, meaning they must be renewed after five years, regardless of the number of pages chosen.

It’s essential to note that the passport fee must be paid before the data capture appointment is scheduled. Without payment, you won’t receive an appointment date, as all fees collected are remitted to the government.

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Nigerian Passport Requirements

To ensure a smooth passport application process, you must gather the following mandatory documents:

Birth Certificate: A copy of your birth certificate is essential for proving your citizenship.

Letter from a Guarantor: This letter, usually from a reputable individual, serves as a character reference.

Photocopy of Guarantor’s Passport Bio-Data Page or Driver’s License: This provides additional identification of your guarantor.

Letter of Introduction from a Spouse/Partner: If applicable, you will need this letter from your spouse or partner.

Court-Stamped Letter of Consent from a Spouse/Partner: If you are married or in a partnership, this document is necessary.

Passport Photograph: You’ll need recent passport-sized photographs that meet specific guidelines.

National Identity Number (NIN) Certificate: The NIN is crucial for identity verification.

Photocopies of the Above Documents: Make sure to provide photocopies of all the documents mentioned above.

Filled Out Passport Immigration Data Form: You must complete this form as part of the application process.

The General Procedures for Passport Application

Visit the Nigeria Immigration Portal: Start by visiting the official Nigeria Immigration Portal.

Choose the Appropriate Application Form: Locate and select the appropriate application form based on your passport type. You can choose between the “Standard e-Passport” or “Official e-Passport.”

Fill out the application form, ensuring that you check the ‘I ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS FORM’ checkbox. Then, click the “PRINT” button to print the filled form.

Submit Your Application: After printing the form, click on the “Submit Application” button to view your applicant details page.

Proceed to Online Payment: Choose your preferred payment currency (Naira or Dollars) and complete the online payment process.

Nigerian passport renewal

The cost of renewing a Nigerian passport is different from the cost of making a new passport. The general procedure is also different, for starters, the applicant will not have to go through the onerous tasks encountered when applying for a Nigerian passport.

 To renew a Nigerian passport, the applicant will have to pay the renewal fee, fill out the passport renewal form, submit the expired passport (which will be collected along with the renewed copy), and then complete All biometric scanning.