NIS deploys passport intervention team to UK to clear application backlog

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is sending a specialized Passport Intervention Team to the United Kingdom starting August 10, 2026. This team will work to clear up the backlog of pending passport applications, assist new applicants, and help Nigerians living abroad renew their passports. Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo gave the order, instructing Comptroller-General of Immigration Kemi Nandap to send the team from NIS headquarters to collaborate with the Nigerian High Commission in London.

The intervention will be open to applicants with pending applications, new applicants, and holders of passports expiring within a year who wish to renew. Applicants must present completed forms and proof of payment during enrollment. The team will travel to various cities in the UK to offer passport enrollment and processing services, aiming to reach Nigerians in different regions rather than concentrating everything in London.

The NIS advises applicants to wait for the official schedule, including cities, dates, venues, times, and other details, before visiting any locations. All digital passport application channels, including the Contactless Passport Application System, will remain fully operational during the intervention, and home delivery services will also continue for those who prefer that option.

This UK deployment is part of the Federal Government's ongoing efforts to make passport services more accessible to Nigerians abroad, following similar measures introduced in 2025 to reduce the need for physical visits to passport centers. The intervention will complement these digital options by deploying NIS personnel to designated UK cities to handle pending applications, new applications, and renewals, while the service's digital passport channels remain active.

Recently, the NIS clarified that passport services in Kano were not suspended despite a directive to move two production centers to the Central Personalization Centre. This move, announced on August 5, was an administrative restructuring of passport production and does not impact passport enrollment or biometric capture, which applicants can still complete at local passport centers.