The Ministry of Interior has recently revamped the passport application portal, ushering in significant enhancements to the Nigerian passport application journey. The revamped system ensures a smooth and nearly automated experience, seamlessly integrating backend processing with user interactions on the frontend.
During an in-depth interview and live demonstration on Channels TV with Seun Okinbaloye, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, highlighted the virtual nature of the process. He emphasized that, apart from biometrics and passport pick-up, Nigerians may not need to physically visit the immigration office for passport application or renewal.
The Minister outlined the pricing structure, indicating that individuals seeking 32-page passports with a five-year validity would be charged N35,000, while those opting for 64-page passports with a 10-year validity would incur a fee of N70,000.
Discover the detailed procedures for a successful Nigerian passport application here:
1. NIN verification on Nigerian passport application portal
Initiate your Nigerian passport application journey by visiting the official website at https://passport.immigration.gov.ng/. Proceed to authenticate your NIN and confirm your date of birth. Additionally, input the 4-digit Captcha in the designated field.
Upon successful validation of your NIN, your data will be generated as displayed below. In the event of an invalid NIN, an error message will be prompted.
2. Select passport booklet type and processing office
Following the successful completion of your NIN verification, proceed to the subsequent phase of your Nigerian passport application. This involves choosing your preferred Passport Type, as well as selecting the processing/collection state and office of your choice. It’s important to be aware that the cost for a 32-page passport valid for 5 years is N35,000, while a 64-page passport valid for 10 years is priced at N70,000.
Throughout the various stages, a unique reference number will appear. Make sure to securely retain this reference number, as it is essential for tracking the status of your Nigerian passport application or production.
3. Passport photograph upload
Upon verifying your passport type, proceed to upload your photo. Ensure that your image dimensions are 600×800 pixels (px), and your passport features a white background—no alternative background colors are permissible.
Ensure a seamless approval process for your images by following these steps:
- If you possess a passport photo stored on your phone or computer, a direct upload may lead to an error response due to mismatched dimensions.
- To address this, promptly convert your image to the specified size of 600×800px. Utilize online tools such as Img2go for a swift and hassle-free conversion process.
- At Img2go, effortlessly upload your image, enter 600 and 800 in the designated fields, and hit the START button.
- Upon completion, simply select the “download” option. Your image will be resized accordingly, ensuring seamless approval during the system verification for your passport application.
If your digital passport copy isn’t pristine on your device, you might consider capturing a hardcopy passport image for the upload. However, the system may reject it due to quality concerns. Instead, leverage your phone camera to capture a high-quality passport photograph. Here’s a guide on capturing a passport photo with your phone:
- Get a smartphone with a decent camera.
- Find a well-lit place.
- Maintain a neutral expression, avoiding smiling with your teeth or frowning. Stand upright, facing forward, without bending or tilting your body or head.
- For a professional touch, place yourself against a white backdrop. Utilize a platform such as Photoroom to effortlessly remove the background, replace it with white, and download the enhanced image.
- Finally, resize your photo to 600x800px using the previously outlined method to ensure approval.
4. Fill in your personal details
You’ll need to input your Personal Details, including marital status, occupation, and Email. Kindly be aware that information such as names, date of birth, state of origin, and gender cannot be modified. If adjustments are necessary, please reach out to NIMC for assistance.
5. Submit your contact information
Please provide your contact details, encompassing your address, local government, email address, hometown, postal code, phone number, and related information.
7. Present a Next of Kin
Provide the essential information about your designated emergency contact person. Include their full name, address, phone number, and other relevant details. Your next of kin could be your spouse, parent, friend, relative, or guardian.
8. Upload Legitimacy documents to complete Nigerian passport application
Enter the penultimate phase by submitting essential documents. Ensure you include either the Birth Certificate from the National Population Commission or the Declaration of Age from the High Court and the Local Government Certificate of Indigeneship.
For those with a Non-Nigerian passport and dual nationality, kindly upload the data page of your Non-Nigerian passport.
Final steps and thoughts on Nigerian passport application
Verify the authenticity and legibility of your submitted documents, proceed with the payment, and secure a date for biometrics capture. Retain the reference number generated during this procedure to monitor the status of your Nigerian passport application/production.
The Ministry’s initiative is designed to simplify and streamline the passport application process for Nigerian citizens, minimizing the necessity for physical visits to the immigration office, except for biometrics and passport collection.
Subsequently, affirm the legitimacy and proper readability of all submitted documents by checking the designated box. Following this, complete your payment and reserve a date for your biometrics.
You can then monitor the progress of your Nigerian passport application/production status.
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