Okay, so I had to get my hands on a Nigerian passport, and let me tell you, the whole process has changed. It’s all online now, which is pretty convenient. Here’s how it went down for me.
First things first, I headed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) website. Once there, I found the section for passport applications. There were a couple of options – new passport, renewal, or even data correction, I needed a new one, so I selected the option to apply for a new passport.
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Filling out the application
This led me to the application form. I started filling it out. You know, the usual stuff – name, address, date of birth, and all that jazz. It was pretty straightforward, but I made sure to double-check everything because, you know, you don’t want any mistakes on your passport.
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Making the payment
After I was done with the form, it was time to pay up. The fee had gone up, I knew it! But it wasn’t too bad. I think it’s around 50,000 to 100,000 Naira now, depending on what you’re getting, but it will be going up in September. I paid online using my debit card. Smooth sailing there. Got a receipt and an acknowledgment slip right away. To get the slip, I went to the Online Query Status page on the immigration portal, I typed in my application type and reference number. Easy.
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Booking an appointment
Next, I had to book an appointment for the biometric capture. This is where they take your photo and fingerprints. The online system let me choose a date and time that worked for me. I picked a slot a few weeks out – they say to apply at least 6 months before your current passport expires, by the way. I’m glad I didn’t have to wait too long, though some folks I know had to wait ages for their appointments.
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The biometrics appointment
When the day of my appointment rolled around, I went to the passport office with all my documents – printouts of my application, payment receipt, and a few other things they asked for. The process was organized, I gotta say. They checked my documents, took my biometrics, and told me it would take about six weeks for a new passport. If it’s a renewal, it should be around three weeks.
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Waiting for the passport
Now, I’m in the waiting phase. It’s been a few weeks, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly. They gave me a way to track my application status online, which is helpful. I just type in my details, and it tells me where things are at.
So, yeah, that’s my experience applying for a Nigerian passport online. It’s definitely more streamlined than the old days. Just make sure you have all your documents in order, double-check everything, and give yourself plenty of time before you need the passport. Hope this helps anyone else going through the process!
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