The Nigeria Immigration Service has suspended new applications for international passports nationwide.
The suspension will lapse on the 1st of June, 2021 according to the Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammed Babandede.
The Immigration boss who made the announcement today, Tuesday, 18th May, during the decoration of newly promoted officers in Abuja. said the directive was given by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.
According to him, “The process of receiving and processing all fresh passport applications nationwide is suspended till 1st June, 2021 when the new passport regime would have taken effect.“
Babandede added that all payment portals have been closed till June 1 and a task force will be sent to all branches to clear all outstanding applications.
He also revealed that Deputy Comptrollers have been posted to all passport issuing offices to monitor the process and ensure compliance saying that passport racketeering will become a thing of the past.
Rauf Aregbesola 
Muhammed Babandede
Babandede added that the decision was taken to enable the Service clear all passport applications that have been received before the 17th of May, 2021.
In his words, “The suspension of receiving and processing of fresh passport applications is to allow for clearance of every passport application received before 17th May, 2021.”
The information is also contained in the verified twitter handle of the Nigeria Immigration Service@nigimmigration· “PUBLIC NOTICE All Passport Issuing Centres have been directed to clear existing backlog of applications on or before 31st May, 2021.
2.”To this effect, requests for Fresh and or Reissue shall not be entertained with effect from 18th May 2021-31st May 2021 in all Centres except for locations in the Missions abroad.Notifications for collection of produced Passports are already going out to applicants who indicated functional phone numbers in their applications. 3. Meanwhile, a new Passport application&processing regime shall commence by 1st June 2021.
“Critical features of the reform shall include the following: * Applicants shall visit http://immigration.gov.ng to apply, pay&upload all the required documents for Passports; * Book interview/appointment after a successful online application; * That no applicant who have not booked online appointment shall be attended to; *That no cash payment to anyone shall be entertained in any Issuing Centre; *That Passport application processing&issuance shall take a period of Six weeks after a successful enrollment; *That requests for reissue can be submitted Six Months before expiration.
4.Our Centres are working hard to resolve all backlog applications.We therefore appeal to applicants who have been waiting for more understanding and assure that they’ll get their Passports soon.
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