Ministry of Interior has said Nigerians residing in foreign countries can now obtain their passports through an online application without any difficulties.
Gatekeepers News reports that this new initiative is expected to streamline the passport acquisition process and make it more convenient for Nigerians living in the diaspora.
Ridwan Adelaja, media aide to Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, hinted that the ministry had unveiled a new system for citizens abroad.
“No cause for alarm. They will all be processed and produced duly. However, going forward, the new system is expected to be used,” Adelaja replied to an X user asking what would happen to applications scheduled with the “old system”.
On January 8, the interior ministry announced the full automation of passport applications for Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.
Tunji-Ojo assured Nigerians that the automated system, when fully launched, would be digitally inclusive and ease passport application.
All citizens of Nigeria either by birth, descent, adoption, registration or naturalisation, are eligible to possess a passport, provided they satisfy all conditions prescribed by law.
On the application portal, citizens abroad can apply for a fresh passport, renewal, data correction, pause applications, book appointments, and track applications.
Applicants can also test their passport photographs before final upload and processing.
Citizens requesting a passport from outside Nigeria will be required to fill out the application form and select a mission in the processing country.
They would then be required to choose a payment option and make payment, after which they would book an appointment for biometric enrolment.
Applicants would also need to proceed with enrolment on the scheduled date and wait for a passport pick-up notification.
The minister of interior had said the fresh criteria introduced for passport applications are intended to stop foreigners from exploiting the system.
