Nigerian Passport From Abroad (2026): Fees, Steps, Documents and Delays

October 16, 2026

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Featured image: how to get or renew a Nigerian passport abroad in 2026

Last updated: 16 October 2026 · By Naijatipsland Editorial Team · Editorial policy

Getting or renewing a Nigerian passport while you live abroad has become a more online process, but it still needs a National Identification Number (NIN), a payment on the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) portal and a visit to a Nigerian mission or an NIS enrolment event for your fingerprints and photo. This guide sets out the fees, the steps, the documents, how long it takes, what to do if your passport is lost, and how to avoid agents who charge far more than the official price.

Fees and procedures come from news reports and guide websites dated 2025 to 2026. Several of the guide sites say they are independent and not government sites. Where they disagree we say so. Confirm the current price and process on the official NIS passport portal and your nearest Nigerian embassy or consulate before you pay. This is general information, not legal advice.

The short answer

The NIS diaspora fee is reported at US$150 for a 32-page, 5-year passport and US$230 for a 64-page, 10-year passport, excluding bank charges.
Naira fees at home doubled on 1 September 2025 to N100,000 and N200,000. The diaspora dollar fees were reported as unchanged.
You apply and pay on passport.immigration.gov.ng, choosing your country of residence as the processing country, then give biometrics at your mission or an NIS event.
A NIN is required. One guide says applications without one will not be processed.
One guide puts the wait abroad at six to eight weeks. There is no official published service target for missions that we could find.

Before you start: get your NIN

The portal checks your NIN and date of birth against the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database, and your names have to match your NIN record. If you do not have a NIN, or the details on it are wrong, sort that out first. Some missions offer NIN enrolment. Our guide to USSD codes in Nigeria covers the NIN verification code and its reported charge.

How to apply or renew from abroad

Open the NIS passport portal and choose a fresh passport, renewal or re-issue, or data correction. Sign in or create an account.
Enter your NIN and date of birth. The portal verifies them with NIMC.
Fill in your details. Select the 32-page or 64-page booklet and the validity period, and choose your country of residence as the processing country. Missions are assigned by country, not by city.
Pay the fee online. One guide warns that naira cards are often declined on foreign government portals, so use a dollar-enabled card. Keep the receipt and reference number.
Complete biometrics. This is done at your embassy or consulate, or at an NIS enrolment exercise. One guide describes a contactless self-enrolment option in the NIS mobile app for some applicants aged 18 to 60. If it does not work for you, book an in-person appointment.
Deliver your old passport if your mission asks. One guide says posting the old passport to the mission is mandatory for renewals. Confirm this with your mission, because you will have no valid travel document while the old one is with them.
Track your application online. NIS added a ‘Produced’ status, meaning the passport is ready for collection, in January 2026. Your mission tells you when to collect.

Documents to have ready

Your current or expired Nigerian passport (original).
Your NIN.
Birth certificate or age declaration.
Marriage certificate if your name changed. A different name change may need a court affidavit, a newspaper publication and a marriage or divorce certificate.
Two passport photographs with a white background, 35mm by 45mm, if your mission asks for them.
Your online application form and NIS portal payment receipt.
Proof of legal residence in the country where you apply.

What it costs

The NIS fee abroad, as reported in a Premium Times article of 8 September 2026 and by a Guardian report on the 2025 changes, is US$150 for the 32-page, 5-year booklet and US$230 for the 64-page, 10-year booklet, excluding bank charges. At home, the fees are N100,000 and N200,000 since 1 September 2025. One site notes that the Nigerian Consulate General in Atlanta lists different figures of $142, $242 and $162, so check the amount shown on the portal for your own country before you pay. Adults can choose either booklet. Children are generally limited to the 32-page, 5-year passport.

The naira equivalent of the dollar fee depends on the exchange rate on the day. One site calculated roughly N231,000 for the 5-year booklet and N354,200 for the 10-year booklet at the rate it used in July 2026, but this was an estimate. Check the rate when you pay.

Watch out for extra charges

In September 2026, Nigerians in the UK complained on social media about delays and poor organisation at an NIS passport exercise in London and Manchester, which ran from 7 to 19 September 2026. Some said they were asked to pay an extra £70 to £150 on top of the portal fee. Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said there were no extra costs beyond the official fees and that his ministry and the NIS had introduced no other charges. The NIS spokesperson had not responded when the report was published. If someone asks you for money outside the portal, ask for an official receipt, report it to the mission, and do not pay a private agent. One guide cites an agent quoting about £400 for a booklet that the portal prices at $150 or $230.

How long it takes

One guide says to expect six to eight weeks from abroad. In Nigeria, a source quoting the NIS service level agreement gives about 42 days for a fresh passport after biometrics and about 21 days for a renewal, with a government target of delivery within a week of enrolment. In September 2025 the NIS centralised passport production at its headquarters in Abuja, so passports are printed there and sent to mission collection points. Because delays happen, do not book travel until you hold the passport, and apply well before your old passport expires or before a visa application needs it.

If your passport is lost, damaged or expired

Lost or stolen: report it to the local police first and keep the police report. Take it to your mission with your application.
Damaged: bring the passport. You may be asked for more documents.
Urgent travel: ask your mission about an Emergency Travel Certificate. One guide says it usually takes one to three days, but the fee varies.
Expired: apply for renewal. Some countries need a valid passport for visa and residence matters, so renew early.

Children under 16

Both parents or guardians should attend biometric capture with the child. If one parent cannot attend, a notarised consent letter and a copy of that parent’s passport are needed. The child’s NIN must be enrolled with NIMC first.

Common mistakes to avoid

Names that do not match your NIN. Fix this first, because the portal checks it.
Choosing the wrong processing country on the portal.
Paying an agent who promises faster service. One guide warns that no official express fee is published, so anyone asking for extra money for faster processing is working outside the system.
Posting your only passport when you need it for a visa or status application at the same time. Finish that process first or get written confirmation that a copy is acceptable.

Applying for a visa with your new passport? See our guides to the US visa interview for Nigerians, the Schengen visa, the UK Skilled Worker visa and the Canada study permit.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a Nigerian passport abroad?

Reported at US$150 for a 32-page, 5-year passport and US$230 for a 64-page, 10-year passport, excluding bank charges. Confirm on the portal.

Can I apply for a Nigerian passport online from abroad?

You apply and pay online, but you still need to give biometrics at a mission or an NIS exercise. Some applicants may be able to use contactless enrolment.

Do I need a NIN?

Yes. One guide says applications without a NIN will not be processed.

How long does it take?

One guide says six to eight weeks from abroad. Official targets are shorter at home, but delays have been reported.

Do I have to post my old passport?

One guide says yes for renewals, but confirm with your mission and plan around being without a passport meanwhile.

Can someone else apply for me?

Biometrics must be given by you in person, or through the app where it is available. Do not hand money or documents to strangers.

Bottom line

Fix your NIN first, apply only on the official NIS portal, pay the published dollar fee, and check each step with your own embassy or consulate. Treat any extra charge, however small, as a red flag and ask for an official receipt.