Special Passport Intervention Draws 1,477 Nigerians in Four Days
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says its special passport intervention in the United Kingdom is progressing smoothly despite initial challenges. The exercise is being conducted at centres in London and Manchester, where demand has remained high among Nigerians seeking passport services. According to the Service, 1,477 Nigerians were successfully processed and enrolled within the first four days. More than half of those enrolled have already had their passports produced and dispatched to their respective addresses.
The NIS disclosed the development in a statement e-signed by DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, Service Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Immigration Service. The Service said the intervention was designed to provide efficient passport services to Nigerians in the UK while maintaining an orderly and transparent process.
1,477 Successful Enrolments Drive Special Passport Intervention Extension
The scale of the response has now prompted the NIS to extend the special passport intervention in both London and Manchester. Under the directive of Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Honourable Minister of Interior, the exercise will now run from 19 September to 3 October 2026.
The extension is intended to create additional capacity as interest continues to rise. It will also give more eligible applicants an opportunity to complete their enrolment without unnecessary pressure. The NIS said the move reflects its response to the strong turnout recorded during the initial phase.
The 1,477 successful enrolments recorded in only four days highlight the scale of demand for Nigerian passport services in the UK. Importantly, the Service said more than half of these applicants have already had their passports produced and dispatched. This means hundreds of Nigerians have already moved beyond enrolment and are receiving their travel documents.
The development also underscores the importance of efficient passport processing for Nigerians living abroad. For many applicants, timely access to a valid passport is essential for international travel, identification and other official requirements.
The NIS said applicants must follow the established appointment process to participate in the exercise. Eligible Nigerians are required to book appointments through the website of the High Commission of Nigeria in the United Kingdom.
Applicants must also attend their scheduled appointments with the required documents. These include a completed application form and payment receipt, an appointment slip for the intervention exercise, and a current passport where applicable. Applicants are also required to provide a self-addressed return envelope.
Fees Remain Fixed for UK Passport Applicants
The NIS further clarified that the passport application and payment processes remain fully automated and strictly cashless. Therefore, applicants should not make additional payments to participate in the intervention.
The applicable fees remain $162 for a five-year validity passport booklet. The fee for a 10-year validity booklet remains $242. The Service stressed that no additional charges are required for the special passport intervention.
The clarification is significant because the NIS continues to push automated passport services as part of its broader efforts to improve transparency. Its official passport guidance states that applications from outside Nigeria require applicants to submit applications online and book appointments with a Nigerian mission for biometric enrolment.
The NIS also advises applicants to use official channels and avoid third-party operators demanding extra payments. Its official platform provides information on passport applications, renewals, appointments and other passport services.
The UK extension therefore gives applicants additional time to complete the required procedures. However, prospective applicants are expected to follow the appointment process and present all required documents at their scheduled locations.
The Service said further information on the extended dates, participating locations and appointment procedures will be communicated through the official channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and the High Commission of Nigeria in the United Kingdom.
The NIS also thanked Nigerians in the UK for their patience and cooperation during the exercise. It said it remains committed to providing efficient, transparent and responsive passport services to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.
With 1,477 applicants successfully enrolled in just four days, the extension demonstrates the level of demand generated by the intervention. More importantly, the dispatch of passports to more than half of those enrolled shows that the exercise is already translating enrolments into completed passport production.
