Magdalene EnimhienomoOne of the major travel document you need as a Nigerian is your Nigerian international passport. Although some ECOWAS countries don’t require a passport for entry into their country like Benin Republic, Congo etc. However, most countries require that you have a valid Nigerian passport along with your Visa or Visa on arrival.
Nigerians can visit up to 54 countries that are Visa free countries. Your Nigerian passport can allow visa free into ECOWAS countries as well as other countries in Asia and Other parts of Africa.
In as much as we are excited that we can travel again, we still need to plan for our travel. There are some important you need especially your travel document, flight ticket and visa. In a previous post, you can read up 10 things you should plan to do before travel. Nobody likes being helpless in a new environment.
The aim of this post is to give first hand information on how to apply for your Nigerian international passport. So, if you need to get your Nigerian passport, here is all you need to know
How to apply for Nigerian International passport
The new process to apply for international passport is now seamless. Unlike before where you have to queue up endless and wait to your passport. Now, the reviewed process requires that you apply online. This is to make you take charge and reduce the error rate during registration. You are to use the e-passport portal to capture your personal data.
How much is Nigerian international passport?
The portal will redirect you to the payment platform to pay for your passport. The previous passport was valid for 4 years, now you can apply for 10 years validity. You can opt for 5 years or 10 years as well decide the number of pages you want. Moreover, this new passport is well secured and water proof. The amount to pay is on the platform. I did mine recently which is 32 pages valid for five years (35,000 naira).
However, the new international passport automation requires you to apply for 10year validity which costs 85,000naira.
What are the requirement to apply for Nigerian passport
The next step after registration online is to visit the nearest passport office near you. For me I chose Alagbon office in Ikoyi to go for capturing. You are to visit the documents you uploaded on the portal.
- National Identification Number (NIN slip)
- Old international passport ( Renewal)
- 2 passport photograph ( 500 naira for the application form)
For directive of the document to apply for family or children, check NIS portal for the guideline.
P.S. Ensure you enter your personal data unto the right place. Choose new or auto-renewal appropriately. This is because the process of refund if you make an error can take forever. I made a mistake but my contact helped out. Thank GOD.
Biometrics capturing and pick up at Nigerian International passport office
The capturing took a few minutes for me. This is because I had a contact at the Nigerian Immigration service office help fast track. However, you don’t need an agent to get your Nigerian international passport. Don’t forget to go with your nose mask if you’re going during this pandemic.
After capturing, you will need to wait for the passport to be ready. It typically takes 2-3 weeks to get your Nigerian passport. However, since mine was quite urgent, I got it in a week. (Thanks to my plug). The section was pick up of passport is quite different from the capturing section at Alagbon.
So, you are to join others at the waiting reception on your arrival to pick it up. An officer is assigned to direct us to the pick up office. As stated earlier, the Federal government updated the Nigerian passport. So, I had to some sort of biometrics validation to pick up my Nigerian international passport.
If you’re planning to travel and need a Nigerian passport, follow the process above. You really don’t need a plug at the passport office to apply. However, it is faster working those officers. Since you’re now set for travel, you can click here to book cheap flight tickets for your travel.
How many countries can Nigerian passport holders go visa free?
The latest update for the year 2024 confirms that Nigerian passport holders can now visit 45 countries Visa free. Below is the full list.
- Barbados
- Benin
- Burkina faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape verde Islands
- Chad
- Comoro islands
- Cote D’ivoire
- Djibouti
- Dominican republic
- Fiji
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Iran
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lebanon
- Madagascar
- Liberia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritiana
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Niger
- Niue
- Palau island
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Sierra leone
- Somalia
- St kitts and Nevis
- The Gambia
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Vanuatu
FAQ about How to apply for Nigerian passport
- How much does it cost to get Nigerian passport? It cost about 35,000naira to apply for 5 years, 32 pages booklet. For updated prices, click here to review price list on Nigerian immigration portal.
- How long does it take to get international passport in Nigeria? It takes about 1-3weeks to get Nigerian passport. I got mine within a week of application. So, you can opt for a fast track or follow due process.
- What is the process of renewal of Nigerian passport? The process of renewal of Nigerian passport is same as applying for new passport. The only difference is that you need to capture your data properly under renewal. Ensure your data is captured under the right place and correctly to get your Nigerian passport without hassle.
