The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has commenced issuance of the new 10-year e-Passport to eligible applicants at its Ikoyi office in Lagos.
According to the NIS Comptroller-General, Muhammad Babandede, the roll-out has already commenced in Abuja, but issuance of the new passport begins in Lagos on Tuesday, June 25.
The NIS on April 29 announced the commencement of registration for the issuance of its new 10-year e-passports to Nigerians.
The e-passport was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 16, 2019.
The cost of the 32-page five-year standard passport is N25, 000, while the 64-page five-year standard passport costs N35,000. The 64-page 10-year standard passport costs N70,000.
“We hope the governor will come on June 25, 2019 and work with the Assistant Comptroller-General here to roll out the new passports in Ikoyi,” Babandede said.
The Comptroller General said it is mandatory for applicants to first possess a National Identity Number and also be conscious of their identity on both documents.
“We call on Nigerians to be very conscious of their identity. You cannot get this passport unless you have a National Identity Number(NIN), without that, don’t even approach it,” he said.
He advised Nigerians who have a different identity with their NIN to reconcile it before applying for the e-passport.
He said the National Identity Card Management Commission (NIMC) has provided facilities which will aid synergy between both agencies.
“We are happy to say that NIMC has provided for facilities, working with us here in Ikoyi passport office, just like in Abuja and I hope they do same abroad, so that wherever we are rolling out a passport, national identity number will be available.
“For all inquiries about the status of pending/ongoing applications in Ikoyi Passport Office, please send text messages to:
“09069000005, 09069000006, 09069000007, 09069000008, 09069000009. Calls are not allowed on these lines,” he added.
Babandede said Lagos is the second place after Abuja where the 10-year e-passport would be rolled out.
