The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has begun the issuance of the new passport booklets with 10-year validity.
President Muhammadu Buhari launched the new passport in January, Muhammad Babandede, Comptroller-General of the NIS, explaining that the new passport embedded with the National Identity Number with 32 pages would cost N25,000 at home and $130 abroad, the 64-page document with five-year validity would cost N35,000 and $150 abroad, and the 64-page version with 10-year validity N70,000 in Nigeria and $230 abroad.
The new booklet will be available in Ikoyi on June 3; Alausa, Lagos on July 8; and London on July 29, 2019
Conducting journalists round the passport office in Abuja on Monday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, DCI Sunday James, said the new booklet was part of a comprehensive passport reform approved by the Federal Government to improve the quality and security of the travel document as well as to reduce incidence of damage, counterfeit, and forgery.
He explained that it was compulsory for passport applicants to have a NIN, adding that the NIS management had set up a desk at the passport office where individuals can register for the NIN.
James stated, “The National Identity Number is compulsory for all applicants to the new document.
“To make it easy for applicants, the Nigeria Immigration Service has provided space for National Identity Management Commission at the service headquarters, Abuja, to register applicants and issue to them the NIN.
“The public are advised not to rush for the new booklet, as the new enhanced passport will run concurrently with the old one.”
The NIS spokesman further said that applicants holding a passport with more than six months’ validity are not eligible for the new booklet, except in the case of damage, change of data and those whose booklets have been exhausted.
James advised applicants to pay online or directly to the banks situated within the passport offices.
He advised them against patronising touts, “as all the service windows are equipped to meet their needs.”
He added that the Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, had directed passport offices at the state commands to continue to issue the old booklet, while the service headquarters in Abuja would only issue the new passport booklet.
However, the passport office in Gwagwalada would also continue to issue the old passport pending the rollout of the new booklet in Ikoyi on June 3; Alausa, Lagos on July 8; and London on July 29, 2019.
Our corespondent observed many applicants being attended to by passport officers after registering for the NIN.