Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, has extended the commencement of the new Passport regime earlier scheduled for June 1 by one week.
NIS spokesman, Amos Okpu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
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The NIS had announced the suspension of receiving and processing of all fresh passport applications nationwide until June
to allow for clearance of backlog of all passport applications received before May 17.
“So far, a total number of 230,500 applications have been cleared and the passports produced. Out of the number, a total of 43,350 are yet to be collected.
“Passport control officers have been directed to continue to send out short message notifications for collection to all applicants,” Okpu added.
“The extension is to clear up all backlog of passport applications across issuing centres.
“A huge number of applicants are already turning up to collect their passports across issuing centres and this is causing some forms of congestion.
“This situation will not allow the Service to accommodate new applications, especially considering our desire to ensure that people who come to our offices comply with all the COVID-19 protocols.
“This period shall be used to attend to applicants for collection, clear all the remaining backlogs as well as improve systems automation for the takeoff of the new passport regime which will commenced by June 8,” he said. (NAN)
