The Federal Government ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to allow Nigerians in with expired passports from the diaspora to return to Nigeria.
The order was given by the Minister of Interior, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday, in Lagos while responding to a complaint by a Nigerian-American citizen, Mr. Jamui Kasumu, at the Alausa Passport Office during his unscheduled visit to the facility, according to NAN.
The Minister disclosed that Nigerians can return safely to Nigeria either with expired Nigerian passports or non-expired Nigerian passports.
What the minister is saying
Aregbesola stated that Nigerians do not need a travel certificate to return, except for children whose parents were Nigerians, with their identity not yet to be established according to immigration rules.
“I am using this medium to instruct all Nigeria Immigration Officers World-Wide to accord Nigerian travellers with expired passports to use such passports to return safely back home henceforth,” he said.
“Nigerians in diaspora should update their travel document ahead of time to avoid rush during an emergency.
The report cited that the Nigerian-American citizen, Mr. Jamui Kasumu said Nigerian Immigration in America and Delta Airline prevented him from coming to Nigeria because of an expired Nigerian passport.
“I am appealing to you sir that the Immigration should allow Nigerians with expired passports to come back to their country,” he said.
In case you missed it
- Nairametrics reported that the Nigerian Immigration Service announced the launch of the enhanced e-Passport for Nigerians in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, which comes with a ten-year validity.
- NIS said the passport comes in 3 categories, which are a 32-page 5-year validity, 64-page 5-year validity and 64-page 10-year validity.
Is this just playing to the gallery for the press to hear.
Or there is an official document instructing the agencies to comply ?
My Nigerian passport has expired and it has been a whole hell for me to get it renewed. I was told by Nigerian consulate in America that I can not renewed by passport, rather I will have to obtain a brand new one, which will take several months.
But with the information in this article,
does this mean that we can travel to Nigeria with my expired passport? And then renew it while I’m in Nigeria?
Has anyone actually travelled home with an expired passport? I need to go for an emergency and realise due to the delays I ya unlikely I’ll get mine before I travel.
Nigeria embassy in Atlanta Georgia need to be visited by the Minister without notice, they are just using that office to torment and exploit people. Imagine a passport renewal taking up to 4 months now after all payments have been made and when you called them one time they lie to you and you will never get them back or phone or email. They treat people like a piece of crap.