The Nigeria immigration Service (NIS) has said it is partnering the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in synchronizing the National Identity Number on the new international passport.
Speaking at the weekend during a pre-launch meeting with the officials of NIS in Lagos, Muhammad Babandede, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, disclosed that the newly enhanced 10-year validity passport which will be rolled out on Tuesday, 25th June would be linked with Nigerians’ National Identity Card Number.
Babandede said it therefore behoves on all Nigerians who are yet to get their national identity number to do so, as those without an identity number, will not be able to obtain the new passport.
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According to the Comptroller General, the old passport and the new one will be running concurrently, so as to provide for over 25,000 applicants who have paid for the old passports, which are still being produced concurrently with the new passports.
He said the new E-passport would attract a different price from the old one.
According to him, the 64-page 10-year passport will be restricted to adults (18years and above) and will cost N70,000, excluding bank and other hidden charges; 32-page five year standard passport will go for N25,000 and 64-page five year standard passport goes for N35,000, all excluding bank charges.
Babandede warned personnel of the Service against corruption and sharp practices in issuing the new passport.
He charged them to avoid aiding and abetting service seekers in the procurement of breeder documents for NIS facilities; noting that doing so is culpable by the Immigration Act 2015.
Babandede also called on Officers and Men to comply with the Executive Order 01 on Transparency and Ease of Doing Business, stating that NIS as an elite Service must contribute its quota to the economic development of the country through facilitation of corrupt-free atmosphere for Direct Foreign Investment (DFI).
