Almost every immigration process that matters, a student visa, a CERPAC, an expatriate quota application, starts with the same prerequisite: a valid international passport. It's also the document people leave until last, because it feels like the "easy" part compared to the visa itself. That assumption is exactly what turns a simple renewal into the thing holding up everything else.
Here's how the process actually runs in 2026, what it costs, and where it genuinely gets delayed.
The process starts online, not at the counter
Every application, new or renewal, begins on the Nigeria Immigration Service's official passport portal, not at a physical NIS office. You complete the application and pay online; cash payment at an NIS office isn't accepted. Biometric capture (fingerprints and photograph) still has to happen in person, at an NIS office if you're applying inside Nigeria, or at the relevant Nigerian High Commission or Embassy if you're applying from abroad.
Your NIN is now a mandatory part of the application. A passport application submitted without a valid, correctly linked NIN will not be processed, which makes any outstanding NIN issue (see our guide to NIN retrieval and correction) something to resolve before you start your passport application, not something to discover mid-process.
Current fees
Fees differ depending on where you're applying from and which booklet you choose:
| Where you apply | 32-page, 5-year | 64-page, 10-year |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Nigeria | ₦100,000 | ₦200,000 |
| Abroad (via Embassy/High Commission) | Around $150 | Around $230 |
Fees paid abroad are typically charged in the local currency equivalent, and can vary somewhat by country, so confirm the exact current figure with the specific mission you're applying through rather than assuming a flat dollar conversion.
How long it actually takes
- Renewal inside Nigeria: standard processing generally runs 4–6 weeks; an express service, where available, can bring this down to 2–3 weeks.
- Renewal or new application from abroad: typically 6–14 weeks, depending heavily on the specific mission and its current workload, sometimes closer to 6–8 weeks under normal conditions.
The stated processing window is the floor, not a guarantee. Almost every case that runs longer than expected has a document issue sitting underneath it, not a backlog that simply resolves itself with more waiting.
What actually causes the delays
The documents required are, on paper, straightforward: your current or expired passport, a photocopy of its data page, your birth certificate (or a Declaration of Age where a birth certificate genuinely isn't available), two recent passport photographs on a white background, proof of payment, your appointment confirmation, and your NIN.
In practice, delays cluster around a small number of repeat issues:
- A birth certificate that doesn't meet the standard required. The same issue that trips up NIN corrections shows up here: a certificate needs to clearly show full legal name, date of birth, place of birth, both parents' names, the NPC registration number, and the registering officer's stamp and signature. An old or informally issued certificate missing any of these gets flagged.
- A name that doesn't match across your documents. If your NIN record, your birth certificate, and your existing passport show even slightly different spellings or formats of your name, that mismatch needs resolving first, not during the passport application itself.
- Missing or mismatched biometric appointments. Booking your online application and then missing (or significantly delaying) your in-person biometric capture resets your position in the process rather than simply pausing it.
Renewal versus new application: the same portal, a different starting point
A renewal (where your previous passport hasn't fully expired, or expired recently) generally moves faster than a first-time application, since your prior data is already on record. But "renewal" isn't a shortcut around the document requirements above, it just means you're not starting entirely from scratch. If your name, NIN details, or biometric data changed since your last passport, expect that renewal to require the same level of document scrutiny as a new application.
Can I apply for my passport without a NIN?
No. NIN is now a mandatory field in the passport application, and applications without a valid, correctly linked NIN won't be processed. Resolve any NIN issue before starting your passport application.
Is the 10-year passport worth the higher fee over the 5-year option?
For most adults planning continued international travel, the per-year cost works out lower with the 10-year booklet. It's less relevant for a minor's passport, since children's passports and rapidly changing appearance make a shorter validity period more practical regardless of cost.
Can someone else submit my passport application on my behalf?
The online application and payment can be handled by someone assisting you, but the in-person biometric capture step requires you to attend personally. There's no way around that step for the applicant themselves.
Getting the foundational document right
Because so much else, a student visa, a CERPAC, an expatriate quota approval, depends on a valid passport already being in hand, it's worth treating the passport application as the first serious step in any bigger immigration plan, not an afterthought squeezed in once everything else is ready. Awal Global Consults supports passport application and renewal as part of a coordinated immigration or relocation process, catching document mismatches before they turn into a resubmission cycle.
Need help with this?
Awal Global Consults handles passport application and renewal support alongside NIN, visa, and CERPAC processes, so one document issue doesn't stall everything else you need it for.