NIS AUTOMATES PASSPORT APPLICATION PROCESS TO REDUCE STRESS FOR NIGERIANS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
In order to relieve stress and delays for Nigerians, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said that the organization is automating the passport application process.
On Thursday, Caroline Adepoju, the acting comptroller general of the NIS, revealed this in an interview with Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Adepoju pointed out that the Service is attempting to do away with human interaction in the application and renewal processes for passports.
He said, “One thing Nigerians know about the Nigeria Immigration Service is the issuance of the Nigerian passport and we know the number of Nigerians that have applied for passports in the past two years have been very high and unprecedented.
“But be that as it may, the service is working hard to ensure that we meet the expectations of Nigerians. Number one, we are automating our passport application process; we are trying to ensure that we cut out human interface.
“Our applications are available online and we are trying to sensitise our applicants that they should go online for these applications to avoid patronising louts.”
The NIS further stated, “The passport is a security document, it will take some time before they are issued. There are a number of processes like carrying out security checks, address verification, among others.”
Adepoju urged Nigerians to always begin passport renewal applications six months before they were due to expire, noting that new applicants didn’t have to wait until they were in urgent need of a passport before beginning their applications.depoju urged Nigerians to always begin passport renewal applications six months before they were due to expire, noting that new applicants didn’t have to wait until they were in urgent need of a passport before beginning their applications.
She said, “So, I try as much as possible to let people know that if you are renewing your passport, don’t wait until it is completely expired. You can start your application process when you have six months validity on it. Then for fresh applicants, they don’t have to wait until the very last moment when they need the passport.”
According to Adepoju, a new application takes six weeks to process, whereas a renewal only requires three.
She claimed that because their data had already been recorded, the Service was making an attempt to prevent applicants from having to visit the offices to renew their passports.
Adepoju said, “Presently, considering the crowds in our passport offices, I’m trying to put up a memo to the appropriate quarters that something should be done about renewal as it is done in other climes.
“Once we have your data, we should be able to renew your passport by online application without necessarily going into the passport offices; that will reduce the crowd. So, visiting passport office will be left to only fresh applicants who need their data to be captured.”
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