Nigeria Made Passport Renewal Easier for Its Diaspora: What to Know About Contactless Renewal

Renewing a Nigerian passport from another country could mean planning a trip to an embassy or high commission, booking an appointment and finding time for biometric enrolment.

That has become less of a problem for some applicants.

Through the Nigeria Immigration Service's Contactless Passport Application System, eligible Nigerians abroad can renew their passports remotely without going to a Nigerian mission for biometric enrolment.

The service has been around for some time, but it has come back into focus as the NIS continues to issue guidance on how Nigerians in the diaspora can use it.

So, who qualifies, how does it work and what should applicants expect?

Who can use contactless renewal?

The service is mainly for Nigerians abroad who already have a Nigerian passport and need to renew or reissue it, subject to the NIS's requirements.

That is different from applying for a passport for the first time. People dealing with a lost or damaged passport, or applications involving changes to personal information, may also have different requirements.

Physical passport services are still available too. In August,the NIS organised a passport intervention exercise across four UK cities covering new applications, renewals and pending applications.

For anyone unsure about their eligibility, the safest place to check is the NIS passport platform before paying for an application.

How does it work?

An eligible applicant starts the process online through the NIS passport platform.

The application requires personal and existing passport details, along with the photograph and biometric information requested by the contactless system. The NIS has also published a step-by-step guide for Nigerians using the service.

Once the application and payment are completed, applicants can track its progress through the passport system.

For Nigerians applying from outside the country, the current fees are $150 for a 32-page passport with five-year validity and $230 for a 64-page passport with ten-year validity.

Applicants should also be careful about using agents or unofficial websites. The NIS passport platform is the appropriate place to begin the application.

What happens after the application?

This is where the experience becomes less straightforward.

On September 6, the NIS asked Nigerians in the United Kingdom who had completed contactless applications but were still waiting for their passports to submit their details for resolution.

Some applicants have also reported problems with the process, including delays around biometric capture and passport delivery.

This is useful to keep in mind when considering what "contactless" actually changes.

For someone living several hours from the nearest Nigerian diplomatic mission, avoiding the trip can save transport costs, time off work and the general hassle of arranging an appointment.

But a remote application is only as convenient as the service that follows it. If an applicant can complete the process from home but then has to spend weeks chasing an undelivered passport, part of that convenience disappears.

What Nigerians abroad should know

Contactless renewal is a useful option for eligible Nigerians living outside the country, particularly those who would otherwise have to travel a long distance for biometric enrolment.

It does not cover every passport situation, and physical services remain available for cases that require them.

For someone who qualifies, the biggest relief may simply be being able to renew from home instead of arranging a trip to a Nigerian mission.

But the recent UK cases put a limit on how far that convenience goes. Applicants can complete the renewal without visiting a mission and still find themselves waiting for the passport after the application is done.