The Federal Government has warned Nigerians in the United Kingdom applying for international passports under the ongoing special intervention exercise not to pay any charges beyond the officially approved passport fees.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the clarification following complaints from applicants about delays, long waiting times and difficulties experienced at some passport intervention centres across the UK.
According to the minister, the special intervention exercise was introduced to provide Nigerians in the UK with additional options for processing their passport applications and to make the process more accessible.
Tunji-Ojo stated that applicants are required to pay $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, excluding applicable bank charges.
He stressed that neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service had introduced any additional or hidden charges for the exercise.
The clarification comes amid growing complaints from Nigerians who visited intervention centres, particularly the centre in Manchester, over long queues, delays and poor organisation.
Some applicants reportedly spent several hours at the centres without their applications being processed, prompting concerns over the effectiveness of the intervention exercise.
The minister expressed concern over the difficulties faced by applicants and said consultations were ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that the challenges encountered during the exercise were addressed.
The Federal Government also urged applicants to be cautious of misinformation and unofficial demands for money, reiterating that the approved passport fees remain the only charges payable apart from applicable bank charges.
The intervention exercise is part of efforts by the Nigerian authorities to expand access to passport services for Nigerians living in the UK and reduce the difficulties associated with processing or renewing their travel documents.
