Nigerians must possess an international passport in order to enter a foreign country, regardless of whether they are traveling by air, land, or water. In Nigeria, there are five different kinds of passports that can be obtained, and they are given out to people based on their position. A Nigerian passport is a legitimate form of identification within the nation in addition to being utilized for travel abroad.
Your passport type will largely depend on your status in the country and your position, if any, particularly if you have ties with the Nigerian government or if you are a special government official.
We’ll talk about the several international passports that the Nigerian Immigration Service issues to Nigerians for travel abroad in this article.
1. Diplomatic Passport
Only a select few people in Nigeria are eligible to obtain diplomatic passports. Key government figures like the President, Vice President, Senate President, governors, and several other high-ranking officials often get it. The members of these people’s close family units may also be qualified to apply for diplomatic passports for themselves. The diplomatic passport is red and bears the words “Diplomatic Passport” on the cover, in contrast to the ordinary passport, which is green. The typical passport validity period for this type is ten years.
When traveling abroad with a diplomatic passport, the possessor qualifies for benefits not available with other types of passports. One benefit is that it makes the holder appear to be a significant member of the Nigerian government, qualifying them for special treatment when traveling abroad. Other significant advantages include being excluded from procedures at airports like bag searches, being permitted to drive with diplomatic license plates while abroad, and not having to pay income tax on earnings and other expenses related to travel. Holders of diplomatic passports also benefit from visa-free access into several nations, which makes it simple for them to travel across borders.
2. Pilgrim Passport
For Nigerian nationals who want to go abroad for religious purposes, the Nigerian Immigration Service issues pilgrim passports. Some of the places religious faithfuls in Nigeria make pilgrimages to include Mecca in Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem in Israel. The Nigerian Pilgrim Passport identifies the holder as a pilgrim at the airport of the pilgrimage destination. The color of Pilgrim Passports vary every year, unlike other international passport kinds that have set hues.
Visit the Nigerian Immigration Portal to submit an online application for a Pilgrims Passport. Before applying for this passport, keep the following documents handy: complete names and other pertinent information; dates of birth; contact information; national identity number; permanent dwelling address; personal information; information about referees; and parents’ and next-of-details. kin’s
3. Seaman Book Passport
A Seaman Book is necessary for Nigerians who work as sailors or on ships and frequently travel abroad by sea or ocean. The Seaman Book Passport displays the holder’s credentials as a seafarer in addition to the intention of sea travel to another nation. A local government letter of identification, a birth certificate or age declaration, and two recent color passport photos are needed in order to receive a seaman book. A Guarantor having a Standard Nigerian Passport and either a Driving License or National Identity Card is also required for a Seaman Book Passport.
4. Standard Passport
Every Nigerian citizen is entitled to obtain the Nigerian Standard Passport, a sort of identifying document, for travel outside of Nigeria. The cover of this passport is green. The Standard Passport is what authenticates your identity and proves that you are a Nigerian traveling to a foreign country, which in turn provides you with safe passage and protection in the foreign country. There are no unique perks associated with this type of passport for entering foreign countries.
The Nigerian Immigration Portal accepts online applications for “Fresh” Standard Passports and new passports that have already been issued. The following documents are required for the interview in addition to the application. A Local Government Letter of Identification, a Birth Certificate, two recent color passport photos, a Guarantor’s form signed in front of a High Court Judge or Commissioner of Oaths, a Parent’s Letter of Consent (for Nigerians under the age of 16), a Marriage Certificate, if applicable, and a police report if the previous passport was stolen or lost are among the documents required.
5. Official Passport
Government employees are entitled to a specific kind of passport known as the Nigerian Official Passport. Ministers, permanent secretaries, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, senior members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Armed Forces, heads of parastatals, and more are examples of government representatives who may hold this passport. This kind of passport serves the goal of informing the immigration staff in the country of destination that the holder is on official business, representing Nigeria in an official capacity. The holders of Official Passports are not accorded any special treatment, unlike those with the Diplomatic Passport.
By going to the Nigerian Immigration Portal, one can apply online for a passport renewal or a “Fresh” Official Passport. A Letter of Introduction from the relevant government organization, ministry, or parastatal, a marriage certificate (if applicable), and a Letter of Appointment/Last Promotion are all required documents after a successful application.
After discussing the several internal passports available in Nigeria, let’s go over how to submit a passport application using the Nigerian Immigration Portal:
- Visit the Nigerian Immigration Portal’s home page.
- To start, look for and click the “e-Passport Application Form” button.
- Choose “Standard e-Passport” or “Official e-Passport,” the type of passport you want to apply for, and then click
- Fill out the application form with the necessary information.
- Next, select “I Accept Full Responsibility For The Information Provided In This Form” from the drop-down menu.
then press “Print” to print the completed application form. - Simply select “Submit Application.”
- “Proceed to Online Payment” should be clicked.
- Choose “Pay in Naira” or “Pay in Dollars” by clicking on “Select Payment Currency”; for the sake of this essay, we’ll concentrate on the Naira payment.
- When you have decided to “Pay in Naira,” click “Continue.”
- Follow the prompts by selecting “Bank” or “Credit/Debit Card.”
- “Print Acknowledgement Slip with Application ID and Reference Number” should be clicked.
- Upon receipt of payment successfully, a “Validation Number” will be generated (this would be used to confirm the payment later)