We Are Automating Passport Application Process — Immigration

Adeyemi Matthew

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said it has drawn up plans to automate the travel passport application process.

The acting Comptroller General of NIS, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju disclosed this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday.

Adepoju said that the Service is working to end the human interface in passport application and renewal processes across the federation.

She said that the new process the NIS wants to embark upon will help to reduce the stress and delay Nigerians experience while applying for passports.

“One thing Nigerians know about the Nigeria Immigration Service is the issuance of the Nigerian passport and we know the number of Nigerians that have applied for passports in the past two years have been very high and unprecedented,” Adepoju said.

“But be that as it may, the service is working hard to ensure that we meet the expectations of Nigerians. Number one, we are automating our passport application process; we are trying to ensure that we cut out human interface.

“Our applications are available online and we are trying to sensitise our applicants that they should go online for these applications to avoid patronising louts.”

The NIS acting CG, however, said Nigerians should understand that the travel passport is a security document, hence it will take some time before they are issued.

Adepoju also pointed out that there are a number of processes like carrying out security checks, address verification, among others.

For a fast and seamless process, she urged Nigerians to always start their passport renewal application as early as six months before expiration and noted that fresh applicants do not have to wait until they are in urgent need for their passport before starting their application.

“This is because for a fresh application, it takes six weeks to get the passport ready, while it takes three weeks for renewal,” Adepoju said.

“Considering the crowd in the passport offices at the moment, the Service is making effort to ensure that applicants for passport renewal don’t need to come to the offices since their data have already been captured.

“Presently, considering the crowds in our passport offices, I’m trying to put up a memo to the appropriate quarters that something should be done about renewal as it is done in other climes.

“Once we have your data, we should be able to renew your passport by online application without necessarily going into the passport offices because that will reduce the crowd.

“So, visiting passport office will be left to only fresh applicants who need their data to be captured.”

Adepoju had in June declared a State of Emergency over the crisis related to obtaining passports.

The acting comptroller general said that she knew more about the problems Nigerians face in obtaining passports, whether fresh or renewal during her working visit to Lagos.

She thereafter assured the public that efforts were being made to ensure that every eligible Nigerian who requires a passport can obtain one in a timely manner.

July 22, 2023