The Federal Government says Nigerians participating in the special passport intervention exercise in the United Kingdom will not pay additional charges beyond approved fees.
The Federal Government has denied reports that it introduced additional charges for Nigerians applying for international passports in the United Kingdom under the ongoing special passport intervention exercise.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo clarified that the intervention exercise does not come with extra charges, amid concerns raised by Nigerians over the cost and organisation of the programme.
Special Intervention Exercise
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), working with the Nigeria High Commission in London, launched the special intervention exercise to assist Nigerians in the UK with new passport applications, renewals and pending applications.
The exercise is being conducted in selected UK cities, including London and Manchester, before moving to Cardiff and Aberdeen later in September.
The Nigeria High Commission says applicants are required to attend with their application documents, payment receipt, appointment slip and other relevant materials.
Approved Fees Remain Applicable
According to information published by the Nigeria High Commission, applicants are required to pay the applicable passport fees, including £70 for standard applications and £150 for lost, misplaced or damaged passports, alongside other specified requirements.
The Federal Government’s clarification is that participation in the special intervention exercise itself does not create an additional government charge.
The clarification follows complaints and concerns surrounding delays and the organisation of the intervention exercise.
Intervention Targets Passport Backlog
The special programme was introduced to help address long-standing passport processing challenges affecting Nigerians living in the United Kingdom.
The Nigeria Immigration Service had previously announced intervention dates across four UK cities to allow applicants to resolve passport-related issues without having to rely solely on normal processing channels.
The exercise is expected to cover new passport applications, renewals and cases involving pending applications.
What Nigerians Should Know
Nigerians in the UK taking part in the programme should distinguish between approved passport fees and any alleged additional charges.
The Federal Government maintains that no new fee has been introduced specifically for the intervention exercise.
Applicants are also expected to follow the requirements and appointment arrangements issued by the Nigerian High Commission and Immigration Service.