By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has written to foreign missions and airline operators to allow Nigerians with expired international passports, who are returning home, not to be disturbed.
This information was contained in a circular from the Comptroller General of Immigration, Mr Isah Jere Idris, dated December 9, 2022, and referenced NIS/CHI/FD/208/20.
The notice signed by the Special Assistant to the CGI (Foreign Desk), B.M. Lawal, a Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, said, “I am directed to respectively present the compliments of the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service and notify all relevant authorities that the Federal Government of Nigeria has approved that Nigerians returning home can be admitted into the country with their expired Nigerian passports.
“Consequently, all airlines are requested to allow holders of expired Nigerian passports to board without let or hindrance.
“In addition, all Nigerian Diplomatic Missions abroad are kindly requested to circulate this information to airline operators and border authorities of host countries for their necessary action.”
The agency said it had increased the number of implemented reforms, the latest being the launch of the diaspora fastrack special service that enables the service to respond urgently to the special needs of Nigerians who live abroad and coming back to the country.
Giving further details on the series of reforms in the passport and immigration sector, the Public Relations Officer of the NIS, Mr Anthony Akuneme, said the special fastrack service for Nigerians in the diaspora entailed the setting up of diaspora desks at all the international airports in the country for the exclusive use of returnee Nigerians to renew their expired Nigerian international passports and access any other immigration services without any stress upon their arrival in the country.
On the implementation of the various components of the passport administration reforms, Mr Akuneme said the milestones recorded so far include the successful rollout of the new enhanced e-Passport with Polycarbonate Data Page and 25 security features, making the Nigerian international passport more respected globally.
Aduragbemi Omiyale