The Honorable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has unveiled an e-channel passport called Enhanced Electronic Passport Facility for the SouthEast region.
The e-Passport initiative is a platform where applicants seeking to procure the Nigerian Passport can sit at the comfort of their homes, offices and apply for any category of passport without anyone’s assistance.
It was unveiled on Thursday in Enugu by the honorable minister of Interior.
In the statement, the minister said that with the seamless online option, applicants do not need anyone to get a passport, but can
now sit in the comfort of their homes and Offices and apply for any category of Passport.
“It is so easy to apply online and applicants will only be required to come to the selected Passport Office on the appointment date for enrolment.”
Aregbesola explained that the main aim for the introduction of online application and payment options is to eliminate all forms of Passport racketeering, touting and clumsy processes.
He enjoined Passport applicants to visit the NIS Passport portal via passport.immigration.gov.ng to apply, complete the form, pay online and get an appointment date for enrolment without assistance from anybody, stressing that many of such assistances tend to complicate the entire process.
However, he advised applicants to ensure that they have their National Identity Number (NIN) and be ready to supply verifiable documents to enable easy processing of their applications.
Earlier, the acting Comptroller General of Immigration Isah Jere Idris stated that the enhanced ePassport is the latest technology in Passport production that comes in three categories of:
(i). 32-page, five –year validity;
(ii). 64-page, five-year validity and;
(iii). 64-page, ten-year validity.
The data page is polycarbonate and water-resistant. It has additional 25 security features over the ordinary electronic Passport.
He disclosed that with the unveiling of the enhanced Passport and commissioning of the Production Centre in Enugu, all the five Passport Offices in the entire South East have been migrated to the enhanced Passport platform.
He urged holders of the ordinary electronic Passport not to worry as the two documents are valid and running concurrently.
He further enjoined members of the public to also utilize all available contact channels such as +2348021819988 and social media handles (Twitter & Facebook both @nigimmigration) to make enquiries or lay complaints.
Speaking earlier, the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government Prof. Simeon Uchenna Otuanya thanked the Nigeria Immigration Service for its valuable contributions to the security architecture of the State.
He lauded the introduction of the enhanced passport to the entire southeast while assuring the Minister that the State would continue to support all agencies in the State.
It will be recalled that the enhanced passport facility for the South West was launched sometime in December last year in the city of Ibadan.
Plans are underway to extend the same facility to all the remaining geographical zones of the country.