Traveling out of Nigeria for vacation to Dubai, London, New York, and all the other top destinations is always fun. However, this won’t be possible if you don’t have an international passport. As a citizen of Nigeria, you’re entitled to an international passport; you just need to apply to get one.
In this article, I’ll be explaining how to get an international passport in Nigeria.
Table of Contents
About The Nigeria International Passport
What are the requirements for Nigeria International Passport?
How To Apply For Nigerian International Passport
How much does an international passport cost in Nigeria
How long does it take to get an international passport in Nigeria 2021?
Bottom Line
About The Nigeria International Passport
The Nigerian international passport provides you with the opportunity to enjoy international travel and learn about diverse cultures by allowing you to travel to different parts of the world, provided you have the correct visa. This passport is not the same as the ECOWAS passport, which only allows you to visit 15 West African countries. Nigerians who wish to travel outside of West Africa must obtain a Nigerian international passport.
For new passport applications, the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) presently solely issues electronic passports (e-passports). Ordinary residents can apply and get a Standard e-passport (green cover). Official e-passports (blue cover) are only available to government officials and Nigerian diplomats.
Nigerians who plan to travel outside of the country for business, leisure, or for other purposes such as school must have a Nigerian international passport. The 32-page Nigerian international passport is typically granted to leisure travelers or individuals who do not travel internationally frequently. On the other hand, business travelers may wish to apply for a 64-page passport if their employment requires them to travel internationally frequently throughout the year.
If you are a frequent leisure traveler, you may wish to consider the 64-page international passport as well. This will save you the inconvenience of having to apply for new passports on a regular basis and carrying around hefty documentation.
What are the requirements for Nigeria International Passport?
The following are the requirements for the international passport while appearing at the immigration office:
For Adults (18 and older)
- Filled, signed, and dated passport application completed
- Two recent passport-sized photos
- Payment receipt
- Letter of identification from the local government/state of origin
- Certificate of Birth
- Guarantor form (completed with a photocopy of the data page of the Guarantor’s Nigerian e-passport and one passport-size photograph)
- Certificate of Marriage (if applicable)
- Affidavit of Name Change (if applicable)
For Minors (those under the age of 18):
- Filled, signed, and dated passport application completed
- Passport-size photograph (signed on the back by the consenting parent/s)
- Certificate of Birth
- Evidence of parent/s’ Nigerian citizenship
- Consent letter from both parents. If any parent is unavailable, then a valid court order is required
- Payment receipt
A Court Order and Letter of Approval from the State Ministry of Women and Kid Development are required if the child is adopted. Note that these requirements change from time to time, hence, you should always visit the Nigerian Immigration Services website to stay up to date on the requirements for international passports.
How To Apply For Nigerian International Passport
There are two ways to apply for a Nigerian international passport: online or offline. Both ways will give you a paper copy of your passport.
Online Method
- On your browsers, go to the Nigerian Immigration Services website.
- Choose a passport type
- Choose your processing country
- Fill out the application form completely.
- Scanned copies of required documents should be uploaded.
- Choose your preferred mode of payment and make payment
- After you’ve made your payment, click on Submit
- An Application ID and Reference number will be assigned to you and you’ll download the guarantor’s form.
Guarantor’s form should be printed and certified. In person, submit the completed application form together with any extra required documents to the passport office of your choice. After submitting your online application, you must visit in person at your designated immigration office to have your pictures and biometrics taken.
Offline Method
Offline involves involving an agent as a proxy. If you choose to submit your application through a Nigerian agent rather than online, be advised that it will take much longer. Choose your agents carefully to prevent falling victim to fraud schemes and losing important documents. Even if an agent is involved, you must still appear in person with your required documents at the immigration office.
How much does an international passport cost in Nigeria
The prices for Nigeria international passport include:
- Minor(0 to 17 years old)
- 32 Pages: N8,750
- 64 Pages: N20,000
- Adult (18 to 59 years old)
- 32 Pages: N15,000
- 64 Pages: $20,000
- Senior (60 and above)
- 32 Pages: N8,750
- 32 Pages: N20,000
How long does it take to get an international passport in Nigeria 2021?
After submitting all your forms and details to the immigration, your passport takes about six weeks to process. Before now, ePassports were usually processed in about two days. However, this changed in June 2021 as the Nigerian government reviewed the application timeline.
Bottom Line
Note that this article covers how to get a Nigerian International Passport. This e-passport, as discussed in the article, is different from the ECOWAS passport – which is the most common passport Nigerians travel with. Although the application process isn’t so different, the two passports are not the same.