The Federal Government has announced upgraded e-passport services at several Nigerian embassies in Italy, Spain, Greece, Austria, and Switzerland.
Unveiling the facilities in Rome, Italy, on Monday, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the new passport processing centres are part of efforts “to streamline passport processing and acquisition for Nigerians residing in the diaspora.”
“The advanced travel document offers three categories: 32-page five-year validity category, 64-page five-year validity category and 64-page 10-year validity category (for adults only),” the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Dr Dotun Aridegbe, disclosed in a statement he signed on Tuesday.
The statement is titled ‘Federal Government Unveils Enhanced e-Passport Facilities in Europe.’
Tunji-Ojo, who was represented by Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, Acting Comptroller-General of Immigration, announced the progressive introduction of the upgraded e-passport throughout Europe.
Phase one, which encompasses Spain, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, was officially launched on Monday in Rome, with phase two set to begin by the end of the week.
He went on to say that the e-passport meets all of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s standards, making Nigeria the first country in Africa and the fifth in the world to embrace this technological breakthrough.
The minister represented by the Acting CGI highlighted that the enhanced e-Passport will reduce processing delays in Europe, “provided applicants adhere strictly to application guidelines, including utilizing the online application and payment platform at passport.immigration.gov.ng and ensuring the synchronisation of their passport application data with their National Identification Number.”
The launch on Monday was also witnessed by top High Commission officials, a wide representation of Nigerians in Italy, and members of the diplomatic community.
