Here’s Why Nigeria’s Immigration Service Suspended Issuance Of New Passports

The Nigeria Immigration Service says all new passport application and processing to take off 1st June, 2021. This it says is to enable all its Passport issuing centres to clear the existing backlog of applications before May 31st, 2021.

To this effect, all requests for Fresh and/or Reissue of Passport will not be entertained with effect from 18th May, 2021-31st May, 2021 in all centres except for locations in Missions abroad.

According to the agency, notifications for collection of produced Passports are already going out to applicants who indicated functional phone numbers in their applications.

Meanwhile, a new Passport application and processing regime shall commence by 1st June 2021.

Critical features of the reform shall include the following:

• Applicants shall visit NIS website to apply, pay & upload all the required documents for Passports;
• Book interview/appointment after a successful online application;
• That no applicant who have not booked online appointment shall be attended to;
• That no cash payment to anyone shall be entertained in any Issuing Centre;
• That Passport application processing and issuance shall take a period of Six weeks after a successful enrollment;
• That requests for reissue can be submitted Six Months before expiration.