The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the extension of the suspension of applications for passport booklets by one week.
This was contained in a statement released by the NIS on Tuesday. The resumption of passport applications which was scheduled to commence on June 1, has been moved to June 8.
Due to a backlog of passport applications, the NIS on May 18, suspended fresh requests for booklets to enable it address the situation by May 31.
The spokesman for the NIS, Amos Okpu, disclosed in the statement that the service was currently experiencing congestion at its issuing centres as a result of the high number of applicants turning up to collect their passport booklet.
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“This situation will not allow the Service to accommodate new applications especially considering our desire to ensure that people who come to our offices comply with all the COVID-19 protocols,” he said.
“Consequent upon the above, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has extended the commencement of the new passport regime earlier scheduled for June 1, 2021 by one week till June 8, 2021.
“The Comptroller General of Immigration assures all of full commitment to improved service delivery to all passport applicants and others.”
“Passport Control Officers have been directed to continue to send out short message notifications for collection to all applicants who indicated functional contact details/numbers in their applications while efforts have been intensified to clear up the remaining applications in some Centres.”
