NIGERIANS living outside the country can now renew their passports through the Nigeria Immigration Service‘s Contactless Passport Application System, following the release of an updated application guide by the Service.
In the revised step-by-step guide released on X on Tuesday, the NIS urged Nigerians living abroad to utilise the digital platform to complete passport renewal without visiting a diplomatic mission for biometric capture.
Step-by-Step Application Process
The Immigration Service outlined the following application process for eligible applicants:
1. Visit the official NIS Passport Application portal
2. Click Continue on the welcome page
3. Select Apply for Renewal/Re-issue. Create an account and verify your identity with your National Identification Number and date of birth
4. Complete the application form and choose the embassy or high commission where your passport will be processed
5. Upload all required supporting documents
6. Pay the passport booklet fee
7. Obtain your Application ID and Reference Number
8. Choose the Contactless option under Application Status/Book Appointment
9. Read the instructions and select I Understand and Opt In
10. Download the NIS Mobile App
11. Sign in or create a profile
12. Select Passport Application Services
13. Open Passport Biometrics Enrolment, enter your Application ID and Reference Number, then confirm eligibility
14. Capture your facial image and fingerprints
15. Complete the liveness verification
16. Pay the contactless enrolment fee
17. Submit your biometric details
Eligibility and Ineligibility
The Immigration Service explained that the contactless option is not available to every applicant. Those declared ineligible after verification must return to the application portal and book a physical appointment at their chosen Nigerian embassy or high commission.
“If response is INELIGIBLE, then it means applicant should return to the landing page of the portal to book physical appointment at the Embassy/High Commission,” the Service stated.
Physical Documents Still Required
Applicants who successfully complete the remote biometric process must still send supporting documents to the selected processing mission.
According to the Service, applicants should print their application form, passport payment receipt, and biometric payment receipt. They must also include their current passport and place all documents inside a self-addressed return envelope before forwarding them to the embassy or high commission selected during the application.
Tracking Your Application
Applicants can begin tracking their passport applications two weeks after submission via the NIS online tracking platform or the NIS Mobile App, the NIS added.
