How to Apply for a Nigerian International Passport

To apply for a Nigerian international passport, complete the online application, submit supporting documents, pay, and book biometric enrolment. You’ll then attend your selected passport office with your documents and application slips.

The process differs for first-time applicants, renewals, and children, so choosing the right category matters. Matching identity details across your records can prevent avoidable delays.

Start by identifying your application type, then prepare the paperwork before opening the form.

Key Takeaways

• First-time applicants and existing passport holders use different application categories.
• Standard domestic fees are ₦100,000 for a 32-page, five-year passport and ₦200,000 for a 64-page, ten-year passport.
• Children need their own application, birth records, parental consent, and evidence of a parent’s Nigerian citizenship.
• Keep your application number, payment receipt, and appointment slip for enrolment and tracking.

Choose the Right Passport Application

A fresh application is for a Nigerian citizen applying for a passport for the first time. A renewal or re-issue applies when you already have a Nigerian passport, including one that has expired or has no usable pages left.

Don’t select a fresh application simply because your old passport has expired. Your previous passport details belong in the renewal or re-issue process.

For renewal, prepare your existing passport and its data page. NIS instructions also include a birth certificate or High Court declaration of age, a state-of-origin certificate, and verification of your NIN and date of birth.

Lost, damaged, or stolen passports require the relevant re-issue category and supporting documents. They shouldn’t be treated as ordinary renewals with an available booklet.

The Nigeria Immigration Service website describes online application followed by attendance at a passport office for biometric enrolment.

Nigerian International Passport Requirements

Prepare originals for inspection and clear copies for submission. Adult and child applications have different supporting-document requirements.

Documents for first-time adult applicants

For applicants aged 18 or older, NIS lists a completed application form, identification, birth evidence, two guarantor-endorsed passport photographs, and a completed guarantor form. You’ll also need your acknowledgement slip and payment evidence after applying.

Identification can include a Local Government or State letter of origin or residence, or a National Identity Card. Qualifying government employees may use an introduction letter with valid staff identification.

The guarantor form must bear a Commissioner for Oaths’ endorsement. Supporting items include the guarantor’s Nigerian e-passport data-page copy and photograph.

For dates of birth from December 1992 onward, NIS specifies a National Population Commission (NPC) birth certificate. Where an age declaration applies, it needs an attached photograph endorsed by a Commissioner for Oaths. Include a marriage certificate where applicable.

Documents for children under 18

A child’s application requires a completed form, birth certificate, parental consent letter, and evidence of the parent’s Nigerian citizenship. For a child born in Nigeria, NIS specifies an NPC-issued birth certificate.

Prepare one photograph endorsed on the reverse by the consenting parent, plus the acknowledgement slip and payment evidence. The current NIS requirements accept a consent letter from either parent.

For an adopted child, additional documents include a court order and an approval letter from the State Ministry of Women and Child Development. Guardianship or adoption arrangements need their supporting legal records.

Complete the Online Passport Application

Enter your identity and passport details

Open the official NIS passport application portal and select the appropriate application service. Use an email address and phone number you can access yourself.

Enter your legal name, date of birth, address, and other requested information exactly as your supporting records show. Have your National Identification Number available for identity validation.

For renewal, enter the existing passport details and complete the NIN and date-of-birth validation. Then select your processing centre and available booklet option carefully. Your processing centre determines where you’ll attend enrolment.

Upload documents and review the form

Upload the documents requested for your application category. Renewal instructions include the passport data page, birth evidence, state-of-origin certificate, and a photograph that meets the portal’s stated standards.

Make each scan readable. Cropped names, missing corners, or blurred dates can prevent a document from supporting your application.

Before submission, compare the form against your NIN record, birth evidence, and existing passport where applicable. Review every name and date rather than relying on autofill.

Save the application number and acknowledgement. Keep a digital copy somewhere you can access without mobile data, alongside any required printouts.

Pay the Passport Fee and Book Your Appointment

Passport fees and validity options

These standard domestic passport fees took effect on 1 September 2025.

Passport option	Validity	Domestic fee
32-page booklet	Five years	₦100,000
64-page booklet	Ten years	₦200,000

The ten-year option is for adults; children receive five-year validity. Choose according to eligibility and travel needs, rather than assuming the larger booklet suits every applicant.

For applications abroad, the listed standard fees are US$150 for the 32-page, five-year passport and US$230 for the 64-page, ten-year passport.

Keep the booklet selection consistent throughout your application. A payment receipt should relate to the application and option you selected.

Complete payment and reserve enrolment

Use the payment route presented within the official application process. Before approving the transaction, review the applicant’s name, passport option, amount, and application reference.

After payment, save the receipt and acknowledgement slip. Then book an available appointment at your selected processing centre and print or save the appointment confirmation.

If a transaction appears incomplete, review the existing application’s payment status before starting another payment. Keep the transaction reference and bank evidence.

Your appointment slip records the scheduled visit. It doesn’t mean your passport has been approved, printed, or made ready for collection.

Attend Your Appointment for Biometric Capture

Attend the selected passport office with your application documents, payment evidence, acknowledgement, and appointment slip. Renewal applicants should also bring their existing passport booklet.

Officers review your records and complete the applicable biometric capture, including your photograph and fingerprints. Children must also attend; staff handle capture according to the child’s age and applicable procedure.

A submitted online form and a successful payment don’t replace required biometric enrolment.

Review your displayed personal details before the enrolment session ends. Point out a misspelt name, incorrect date of birth, or other visible error immediately.

Keep any acknowledgement issued after capture. It may contain information needed for follow-up or collection.

For applicants in Britain, the High Commission’s passport guidance lists application, payment, and appointment printouts, alongside the old booklet for renewals. These are separate records, so keep them together rather than assuming one replaces another.

Track Your Application and Collect Your Passport

Use the official NIS passport tracking service to follow your application. Enter the application number saved from your submission and read the status attached to that record.

The passport application portal also provides an application-status and receipt function. This is useful when you need to retrieve application records or payment evidence.

Keep the distinctions between payment, enrolment, and issuance clear. A payment confirmation establishes that a transaction was recorded; it doesn’t establish that the passport is ready.

If your application requires further action, follow the instruction attached to your record. Don’t create another fresh application to solve a problem with an existing submission.

When collection is authorised, take the acknowledgement and identification specified in your collection instruction. Before leaving with the booklet, inspect the data page.

Compare the printed name, date of birth, sex, photograph, and other personal details with your records. Report an error promptly rather than waiting until you need to travel.

Avoid Errors That Can Delay Your Application

The most preventable problems begin with inconsistent identity records. Compare the spelling and order of your names across your NIN, birth certificate, and previous passport before submitting.

Don’t guess a date or omit a middle name because another record looks different. Resolve the underlying discrepancy through the appropriate identity-record correction process.

Also keep control of your account, even when someone helps with scanning or printing. Never send your password, banking PIN, or one-time password to an unofficial helper.

Store receipts and reference numbers separately from your phone’s message history. If a payment or application needs follow-up, those records provide a clearer starting point than an agent’s verbal assurance.

For families, maintain a separate document folder and reference number for each child.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for a Nigerian passport outside Nigeria?

Yes. Nigerians abroad can apply through a Nigerian embassy, high commission, or consulate offering passport services. The application still involves the relevant online process, supporting documents, payment, and biometric arrangements.

Choose the overseas processing location that will handle your application. A domestic application appointment shouldn’t be treated as an appointment at a Nigerian mission abroad. Keep the mission appointment record with your application paperwork.

Can someone complete the application for me?

Someone can help you type information, scan documents, or print slips, but the application must contain your accurate details. Keep access to the email address, phone number, and application record yourself.

Another person cannot attend required biometric enrolment in your place. Likewise, paying an agent doesn’t remove document requirements or guarantee issuance. Parents or guardians manage children’s paperwork, but the child must attend the required capture appointment.

Keep Your Passport Application Accurate and Traceable

A successful Nigerian international passport application starts with the correct category and documents that tell the same identity story. Payment, appointment booking, and biometric enrolment are separate stages.

Keep your application number and receipts safe throughout the process. Accurate records make it easier to follow your application through to collection and spot any problem before the passport is needed for travel.