The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (CGI), Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, has disclosed that about 32,462 persons have successfully applied for passports since the inception of the full automation system of application.

The automated regime was flagged off on January 8, 2024, by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, launched the automated passport application process to expedite passport acquisition for Nigerians.

The process includes: uploading passport photos and supporting documents.

Adepoju while inspecting facilities of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Monday, announced that the NIS has successfully received 32, 462 applicants with the new automated system while 1,438 applications have been queried for various reasons.

She said: “I have here the data of the passport applications that have been successfully processed since the introduction of the new process from 8^th January 2024. About 32, 462 persons have successfully applied to upload their documents and make payments.

“Of this number, 16,113 applications have been approved for biometric capture and production, 11,505 applicants await approval, while 3,400 applicants have made the payment but have yet to book an appointment, these people did not complete the process, they should go back and complete the process, while 1,438 applications have been queried for various reasons, possibly the applicants did not upload their documents properly which is one of the major problems at the moment.”

“We are going to help Nigerians achieve this process that has come to stay. We will send back the application, all they need to do is to complete it and pay adequate attention to the instructions, and submit it again for approval.

Adepoju urged Nigerians to cooperate with the Nigeria Immigration Service to eradicate difficulties associated with passport processing in the country and the minister ensured every process was done perfectly.

She added: “We are determined to ensure we eradicate difficulties that are associated with passport processing in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, this process is not entirely new, the only thing that we have introduced is uploading of supporting documents which we believe in due time, everything will be perfected. All we want Nigerians to do is to be patient and pay adequate attention to the instructions given online during the process.”

“We want to assure you that the process is simple once it is followed as specified. It will be discovered that it is a much easier process to save time and cost for applicants. We are working hard to perfect it so that the processing can be smooth and steady for every Nigerian. We are ensuring that we are going to surmount every challenge in the new passport automation process that has come to stay in Nigeria, it will enable Nigerian applicants at home and abroad to find passport processing easier and more seamless.

“I want to use this opportunity to plead with Nigerians to please bear with us. What we had discovered recently from our system is that applicants have not mastered the act of uploading valid documents at the appropriate channels as specified. There is a need to pay enough attention to the process. For example, we discovered that some applicants uploaded their birth certificate in the category of NIN number, in another category where applicants were supposed to upload passport photography, and some uploaded photography where their chin or head was not properly shown, so when applicants understand the basic things of the process, it will be seamless and that is the only hitch in the whole process for now but we will continue to enlighten the public, we will also continue to ensure the best for every Nigerians by assisting at the appropriate time.”

She also announced that the immigration service is working tirelessly to end the era of storing applicant passports in store for collection, stressing that the immigration service is working with some service providers to ensure passports that are produced will be sent to applicants’ mailing addresses.

“The era of storing applicant passports in stores will soon become a thing of the past, the Nigerian Immigration Service is working with some service providers to ensure that passports that are produced are sent to the applicant’s mailing address.”(The Nation)

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