Ministry of Interior, Immigration Service launches digital portal for passport booking, renewal and visa applications

The Nigerian Immigration Service, operating under the Ministry of Interior, has introduced a new online portal for passport applications, aiming to streamline the process and enhance efficiency. With this portal, citizens in Nigeria and the diaspora can conveniently book passport appointments, make payments, and schedule data capture from their homes.

Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, emphasized that the initiative aims to expedite passport collection, establish a robust verification process, alleviate pressure on immigration agencies, and implement a fully automated passport application system in the country. The minister highlighted that the new portal reduces the passport request process to approximately six minutes, eliminating the need for physical visits to immigration offices and easing the workload on immigration officers.

The online portal, operational from January 8, 2024, initially caters to applications from residents within Nigeria. The second phase, scheduled for March, will introduce a contactless data verification structure, allowing users to complete data capture online, minimizing the need for in-person visits.

Applicants within Nigeria will pay N25,000 for a 32-page passport with a 5-year validity and N70,000 for a 64-page passport with a 10-year validity. Those outside Nigeria will incur $130 for a 5-year, 32-page passport and $230 for a 10-year, 64-page passport.

The portal facilitates various applications, including fresh passport requests, renewals, data corrections, resumptions, payment status checks, appointment bookings, and handling internal challenges. Dr. Tunji-Ojo announced that immigration officials will focus on reviewing and approving applications, as well as printing passport documents.

To ensure a smooth process, the Immigration Service conducted a retraining exercise for officers involved in verification and approval processes. Plans to motivate high-performing officers were also shared, and the ministry intends to allocate office running costs to 48 interior offices to ease operational pressures. The portal’s functionality was demonstrated to stakeholders, including representatives from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the International Organization for Migration, and other organizations.