By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Recently, the Minister of of the Interior in Nigeria, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, unveiled a new policy of the government that should make acquisition of an international passport easy and at no inflated rate.
He noted that the decision was informed by feedback received directly from members of the public, who complained about involvement of touts in the business of passport issuance and who make the process tedious and acquisition difficult with cost uneasy to bear.
Until announcement of the new policy, 32-page passport of 5 years duration cost between N30,000 and N40,000 while 64-page passport cost N64,000 and renewal N70,000.
Even at the exorbitant charges, innocent citizens were still subjected to situation of scam and almost impossibility to get the passport, something that would have merely been applied for online, applicant invited for physical verification and capturing without hindering and booklet delivered to owner at home by courier.
It has been so worrisome the way acquiring necessary documents of government that guarantee citizenship validity of every person in Nigeria and, if the tide is left unchecked, may leave the country behind in shame as even other African countries have since move on towards development.
To arrest the worrisome situation, the Minister said in Ibadan that passport processing has not been digitalised same its payment.
The DEFENDER hereby provides available details and public awareness on the digitalised process, which takes place on the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) – portal https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/ – as follows:
INTERNATIONAL PASSPORT……
The New enhanced e-Passport (Validity and Cost)
– 32 pages valid 5 years is 26k
– 64 pages valid 5 years is 35k
– 64 pages valid 10 years is 70k.
NOTE: These prices only for three states; Lagos, Abuja and Rivers and all ages will pay same price for ONLY these 3 locations.
For the rest of the 33 states, price is as follows;
– 32 pages valid for 5 years 17,800
– 64 pages valid for 5 years 23,000
NOTE: Children less than 16 and adults 60 and above pay 11,000 for 32 pages which is valid for 5 years.
Also, be aware you’ll be paying online, not like before that you pay exorbitant amount on counter base on who you know
If you are applying in Nigeria, You don’t need any immigration officer to help you, pay online, print your receipts and forms online and go with all your documents to their office.
Any documentary requirements that will be asked are specifically stated on the portal below.
https://immigration.gov.ng/standard-passport/
Then when you want to apply online, click on fresh passport, if you have never had a passport.
If you have had a passport click on renewal
https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/pages/welcome
