Deodorized Corruption In Getting Nigerian Travel Passports, Now With 10-Year Validity
The Oasis Reporters
August 15, 2018
Getting a Nigerian Travel passport may seem less harrowing today for it is down to a one week wait. But passport seekers must definitely pass through some deodorized corruption, or else you get nothing.
First step in getting a Nigerian Travel passport is to go the Nigerian Immigration Service office where you will find very friendly and very helpful Immigration officers who would introduce you into the system. You are immediately directed to some business centre kiosks at the back of the Immigration offices to fill your form online, submit your passport photographs and your personal documents like affidavits providing your date of birth and your local government area of origin.
To help you package all that are the business centre staff who can even assist you get any missing documents you failed to come along with. All that would be for a fee. The business staff alone usually have unrestricted access to the Nigerian Immigration Service website for the online upload of your documents. And you are required to pay the sum of 30,000 (thirty thousand naira only) at least for all the services, including the official fee.
And in less than seven working days, your passport is ready.
The new method eliminates corruption for deodorized corruption and payment for legitimate services rendered are first cousins. After all is been said and done, the computer used to package and upload your documents are not yours. It makes the fee you pay legitimate.
Whether you are getting a new passport or renewing an old one, you still go through the same payment process every five years.
Now new Nigerian travel passports will henceforth be valid for 10 years following President Muhammadu Buhari’s order.
Previously issued passports were valid for 5 years.
Comptroller- General of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede announced the development at the Ikoyi passport office in Lagos, adding that Buhari also approved improved security features and quality for the passport booklets.
Nigeria hopes to begin distribution of the new passports by the end of the year.
“President Buhari has approved 10-year validity for passports which is great news. When the report comes, passports will be valid for 10 years which is great news especially for adults from the age of 18 and above,” Babandede said.
He said the 10-year validity will ease the pressure on demands for new passports which often caused shortages in the past. Applicants will however pay more for the new passports.
“People will pay more if they can pay more and get the booklets quickly, it’s good with improved security for 10 years validity.”
“You can’t keep documents for 10 years without seeing decreased values in them, so we are improving the security features which would raise the standards of the passports,” he added.
Somehow, everyone wins. Travelers, deodorized corruption and the system. But if you are an Immigration officer, pray to be posted to the Passport office. It pays better and you get rich quicker. Rather than facing migrants at the border posts coming in and out as religious Insurgents.
Somehow, everyone wins. Travelers, deodorized corruption and the system. But if you are an Immigration officer, pray to be posted to the Passport office. It pays better and you get rich quicker. Rather than facing migrants at the border posts coming in and out as religious Insurgents.
