Passport applicants to pay N1,000 extra to speed up process
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Applicants for passport, fresh or renewal, are now to pay an extra N1,000 to get their National Identification Number (NIN) verified by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
The fee is to improve the quality of service, accuracy, and speed of passport services through timely verification of NIN, according to a statement issued by NIMC Corporate Communications Head, Kayode Adegoke.
“This new arrangement is in furtherance of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy’s directive to streamline passport application, renewal, and issuance processes,” Adegoke explained.
“Consequently, a NIN verification fee would be charged for each Nigerian passport application for this service.
“NIMC and NIS [Nigerian Immigration Service] have agreed on a revised applicant journey that will significantly improve the speed of passport issuance /re-issuance and reduce the traffic visiting the NIS office(s).
“The NIN service, fees, and the new NIS process will go live on 1st April.”
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Payment in other countries
Passport applicants will pay N1,000 for NIN verification in Nigeria, $5 in other African countries, and $15 in countries outside the continent, the statement added, per reporting by The PUNCH.
The NIMC says NIN puts an individual’s record together – demographic data, fingerprints, head-to-shoulder facial picture, other biometric data, and digital signature are captured in the National Identity Database and confirmed and verified through NIN.
Acting NIS Comptroller General Isah Idris has blamed delay in the issuance of passports on the integration of data between the NIS and the NIMC.
“The delay in the processing of passport applications could be as a result of the integration of data between the NIS and the NIMC, which also, in turn, integrate with the BVN [Bank Verification Number] data of applicants,” he said.