In my previous post, I shared my experience travelling from the UK to Nigeria with an expired passport. In this follow-up post, I will share how I renewed my passport in Nigeria, including the steps and how long it took.

The Online Application

Initiating the Process

Upon my arrival in Nigeria, one of the first things I needed to do was renew my passport, so I visited the Nigerian Immigration Service website (NIS) website to initiate the process. Also, on the homepage, I noticed an important banner indicating that the ePassport Application Portal was for those applying from within Nigeria. If you're applying from outside Nigeria, you're instructed to click on "Apply from Outside Nigeria." Since I was applying from within Nigeria, I clicked "Continue" to proceed with my renewal application.

Finding a Center:

Next, I clicked "Check Centre Availability" to find a centre closer to me with the earliest availability that best fit my schedule. The nearest centre was the passport office in Shagamu, Ogun State. After reviewing the available dates for the biometric appointment, I proceeded with the rest of the application.

Filling in Application Details:

I clicked on the "renewal/re-issuance" option to enter my National Identification Number (NIN) and date of birth. Note that both NIN and date of birth are required if you're applying for a fresh passport.

Since I was renewing, I selected the "Renewal/Reissue" option and entered my details. Once submitted, my personal information was auto-filled, making the process quicker.

Then, I was prompted to provide my current passport details. I filled in my passport number and date of birth. At this point, I also noted the 11-digit reference number generated by the system. This number and your application number are crucial for tracking your application and booking your biometric appointment.

Choosing Passport Type:

Here, I was required to select my passport type, which included selecting:

• Citizenship type
• Reason for renewal
• Processing office and state
• Booklet type (32 or 64 pages)

For this step, the system automatically populated the validity of the passport based on the booklet type I selected. I opted for a 64-page passport, which cost ₦100,000. Additionally, there was a processing fee of ₦4,000, bringing my total to ₦104,000 (₦100,000 for the booklet + ₦4,000 for processing).

When choosing the passport booklet type, I noticed that the processing fee for the selected booklet would be displayed on the right side of the page, so you can easily see how much you'll be paying.

Uploading Documents:

After filling in the required personal information, such as marital status, occupation, and next of kin details, I uploaded my passport photograph and supporting documents, including:

• Birth certificate from National Population Commission;
• Local Government Certificate of Indigeneship;
• And my Passport data page.

The Passport Center

On the day of my biometric appointment, I gathered all the necessary documents to take to the passport centre:

• My expired passport
• The approved vetted form
• The appointment slip

When I arrived at the passport centre, I was surprised to find just an applicant who had come for collection. I signed in and met with an immigration official who reviewed my documents for accuracy and correctness. Once everything was confirmed, I was directed to the biometric capture station, where my fingerprints and photograph were taken. I was given a collection slip and informed that I would be notified once my passport was ready for pickup. The process was quick and professional, taking less than 20 minutes.

Tracking and Collection

The NIS website also provides an online tracking system, and with the application and reference number, I could track the status of my application. These numbers were also emailed to me, so be sure to keep yours handy.

However, after three days, I returned to the passport centre to check on the status of my passport. I was told it wasn't ready yet, but they assured me they'd let me know when it would be. This time, I got the contact details of an official to stay updated on when my passport would be ready.

After five business days, I contacted the office again, and this time, I was informed that my passport was ready. I returned to the passport centre to collect it. At the issuance desk, I provided my name and application details. The official retrieved my passport and transferred me to another desk where an officer requested both my expired passport and the new passport. My biometric data was scanned again, and I was asked to sign in a book confirming receipt of my new passport. The entire collection process took less than 10 minutes.

Overall, the entire process—from biometrics to passport collection—took nine business days, which I found relatively fast. I was impressed by how seamless and efficient the process was. The online application made everything much easier, and the biometric appointment was quick and straightforward. If you're planning to renew your passport in Nigeria, I highly recommend using the online system to save time and avoid unnecessary delays.