NIS boss gives passport offices 48 hours to passport applications

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Muhammad Babandede has issued two days ultimatum to all Passport Control Officers, PCOs, nationwide as well as Passport Issuing Desks, PIDs, in Nigeria’s Foreign Missions to clear all outstanding Passport applications. This came as a result of complaints and agitations from passport applicants concerning service delivery at Passport offices.

The ultimatum was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the NIS spokesman, Ekpedeme King on Sunday.

Babandede warned that failure to comply with the directive would be interpreted to mean that the PCO is incompetent and will, therefore, be removed.
The NIS boss noted that the timeline for processing of Passports remains 72hours and expects every Passport office to conform with the policy forthwith.
He also called on Passport applicants to always get their breeder documents such as birth certificate, age declaration, certified guarantor’s forms from the right sources to avoid delay in the processing of their Passports.
The CGI disclosed that a committee has been inaugurated which comprises the Assistant Comptroller-General of Immigration (Passports) Ndubisi Ndife and NIS Technical Partners, Messrs Iris Technologies Ltd and NewWorks Ltd to re-configure the NIS Passport platform in order to enable State Passport offices re-issue Passports to applicants who want to change their data on account of marriage or due to loss of previous ones.

According to him, this development will save such category of applicants from traveling to Abuja to effect any change in their travel documents but go to the Passport offices in the States they reside to do it.
Babandede added, “Presently, women who wish to change their data such as name due to marriage are required to travel to the Service Headquarters in Abuja to effect those changes which at times results in their remaining in Abuja for up to three (3) days, a situation the Hon. Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen Abdulrahaman Danbazau Rtd. observed, exposes applicants to unnecessary risk of life and waste of funds.”
He, however, revealed that the Committee has two months to complete the configuration and commence re-issuance of such Passports.