Contactless passport renewals to begin in Europe in February

Nigerian citizens in Europe would begin to enjoy the services of the contactless passport renewal process in February, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said.

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The minister made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja at a media briefing. The briefing highlighted the ministry’s achievements and challenges in 2024 and its goals and targets for 2025.

“Contactless passports have started in Canada, and in February, it would be moving to Europe (the UK, EU, and Ireland),” the minister said. He also highlighted that the rest of Africa and Asia would be able to benefit from this service in the first quarter and that a detailed timeline would be announced in due time.

Contactless Passport

In October, the minister launched the contactless passport renewal process.

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This process enhances the passport acquisition process by allowing eligible applicants to initiate and complete their applications seamlessly from the comfort of their homes or workplaces on their mobile devices.

“The new feature is undoubtedly a game-changer, and we are eager to fully roll it out in our new passport regime.

“Our goal remains to transform our systems and methods to align with global best practices, setting the pace for other nations to follow without compromising national security.

“After previewing this solution with these stakeholders, we will incorporate their feedback to refine the system. In the coming days, we plan to first launch this service for Nigerians in the diaspora,” Mr Tunji-Ojo said at the time.

ALSO READ: Why we created ‘contactless’ passport renewal process – Minister

For years, Nigerians have complained and indeed lamented the passport acquisition and renewal process, which they say is filled with bottlenecks, bureaucracy, unnecessary difficulties, location challenges, long queues, long waiting times, and corruption.

At the unveiling of the feature last year, the minister highlighted that the aim of this solution is to address why people have to go to the NIS office in the first place.

“The only reason you go is because of your biometric capture. The world has gone so digital now that you don’t need to go and capture physically. In fact, what you do virtually, the resolution can even be better than the one you go to do physically,” he said.

To benefit from this process, you must be 18 years or older and have a previous passport that you want to renew. This means that the service is not available for first-time applicants.