THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Nigeria has commenced the opening of enhanced e-passport facilities at select Nigerian Embassies in Europe.
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 minister, who was represented at the event by the Acting Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Caroline Adepoju, emphasised the dedication of President Bola Tinubu’s government to citizens’ diplomacy and the enhancement of services to the diaspora community.
According to him, the federal government is unveiling additional enhanced e-Passport facilities at selected Nigerian Embassies in Europe.
”Phase one, which includes Spain, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, is officially introduced in Rome while phase two is scheduled to be implemented by the end of the week,“ he said.
Tunji-Ojo said that the e-Passport complies with all standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
This, he said positioned Nigeria as the first country in Africa and the fifth worldwide to embrace the technological achievement.
“This accomplishment has garnered high regard from the international community, ” he said.
Tunji-Ojo highlighted that the enhanced e-Passport would significantly reduced processing delays in Europe, provided applicants adhered strictly to application guidelines.
This, he said including utilising 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 (NIN).
He added that the advanced travel document offers three categories: i. 32-page Five-year validity category ii. 64-page Five-year validity category iii. 64-page Ten-year validity category (for adults only)
He enjoined applicants with complaints to use the following channels for resolution.
“(i) Twitter: @nigimmigration (ii) Website: www.immigration.gov.ng to interact with the virtual assistant and the Contact Center on; 09121900655, 09121556359, 09121477092,” he said.
© NAN
The Nigerian Embassy to Germany has also made the following announcement on its website on the e-Passport:
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to inform all Nigerians that the Nigeria Immigration Service has launched the Enhanced E-Passport in all Nigerian Diplomatic Missions. This new form of passport enrollment will ensure enhanced reliability, durability and increase national security integrity of Nigerian passports. To this effect, applicants are advised to take note of the following regulations guiding the application process for the enhanced e-passport:
National Identity Number (NIN) is a mandatory information to obtain the enhanced passport;
Information on the NIN must tally with the information on the passport for the purpose of renewal;
The information on the passport payment receipt must tally with the NIN information and the passport for renewal itself;
Applicants shall book their appointment directly at the immigration official website before coming to the Mission;
The enhanced passport requires automated payment verification, NIN and enrolled data, therefore applicants are advised to ensure that the completed online passport application data matches with the old passport data, the intended data to be enrolled and with the NIN.
Visit the Embassy online at: https://nigeriaembassygermany.org/
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