The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has released an updated step-by-step guide for Nigerians living abroad to renew their passports through the Contactless Passport Application System. The revised process, announced on the NIS official X account, enables eligible applicants to complete biometric enrolment remotely without visiting a Nigerian embassy or high commission.
Eligibility and Initial Steps
According to the NIS, the contactless option is not available to all applicants. Those who are declared ineligible after verification must return to the application portal and book a physical appointment at their chosen Nigerian embassy or high commission. The Service stated, “If response is INELIGIBLE, then it means applicant should return to the landing page of the portal to book physical appointment at the Embassy/High Commission.”
Eligible applicants begin by visiting the official NIS Passport Application portal. They must click Continue on the welcome page, select Apply for Renewal/Re-issue, create an account, and verify their identity using their National Identification Number (NIN) and date of birth.
Completing the Application Form
After account creation, applicants complete the application form and select the embassy or high commission where their passport will be processed. They must upload all required supporting documents, pay the passport booklet fee, and obtain their Application ID and Reference Number.
Opting for Contactless Biometrics
Under Application Status/Book Appointment, applicants choose the Contactless option. They read the instructions and select I Understand and Opt In. They then download the NIS Mobile App, sign in or create a profile, and select Passport Application Services. Within the app, they open Passport Biometrics Enrolment, enter their Application ID and Reference Number, and confirm eligibility.
Eligible applicants capture their facial image and fingerprints, complete liveness verification, pay the contactless enrolment fee, and submit their biometric details. The NIS emphasized that only those who pass the eligibility check can proceed with remote biometric capture.
Post-Biometric Submission Requirements
Applicants who successfully complete the remote biometric process must still send supporting documents to their selected processing mission. The NIS instructed applicants to print their application form, passport payment receipt, and biometric payment receipt. They must also include their current passport and place all documents inside a self-addressed return envelope before forwarding them to the embassy or high commission selected during the application.
Tracking the Application
The Immigration Service added that applicants can begin tracking their passport applications two weeks after submission through its online tracking platform or the NIS Mobile App. This allows applicants to monitor the progress of their renewal without needing to visit the mission in person.
Background on NIN Enrollment
In related news, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) disclosed that the number of Nigerians enrolled in the National Identification Number (NIN) database had reached 127 million as of December 2025. Data from the commission's website shows that as of October 31, 2025, total NIN enrolment stood at 123.9 million, with Lagos State recording the highest number of registered individuals at over 13 million. Gender data as of October 2025 indicated that over 54.2 million females and about 69.7 million males had been captured in the national identity database.
