The Acting Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) Caroline Adepoju has clarified why passport processing takes time before issuance.
Adepoju spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday, monitored by The Nation.
She stated the Service is trying to eliminate the human interface in the process of passport application.
Over time, Nigerians have lamented about challenges with passport processing, despite the six-week timeline given by the federal government in 2022.
Adepoju explained that the NIS is working on automating the passport application process to reduce the stress and delay Nigerians experience while applying for passports.
She said: “One thing Nigerians know about the Nigeria Immigration Service is the issuance of the Nigerian passport and we know the number of Nigerians that have applied for passports in the past two years has been very high and unprecedented
“But be that as it may, the service is working hard to ensure that we meet the expectations of Nigerians. Number one, we are automating our passport application process; we are trying to ensure that we cut out human interface.
“Our applications are available online and we are trying to sensitise our applicants that they should go online for these applications to avoid patronising louts.”
She, however, advised Nigerians to always start passport renewal applications six months before expiration.
Adepoju added that fresh applicants do not need to wait till they need the passport to start their application.
She said: “So, I try as much as possible to let people know that if you are renewing your passport, don’t wait until it is completely expired. You can start your application process when you have six months’ validity on it. Then for fresh applicants, they don’t have to wait until the very last moment when they need the passport,” she said.
Adepoju said that for a fresh application, it takes six weeks to get the passport ready, while it takes three weeks for renewal.
She said: “Presently, considering the crowds in our passport offices, I’m trying to put up a memo to the appropriate quarters that something should be done about renewal as it is done in other climes.
“Once we have your data, we should be able to renew your passport by the online application without necessarily going into the passport offices; that will reduce the crowd. So, visiting the passport office will be left to only fresh applicants who need their data to be captured.”
Comments