The Federal
Government on Thursday in Abuja announced major reforms and cost in all the categories
of e-passports in Nigeria.
The reforms are
contained in a statement signed by the Comptroller-General of Nigeria
Immigration Service, David Parradang.
The statement stated
that the approval was conveyed to the service in a letter dated February 5,
2014, from the Ministry of Interior.
According to the
statement, with the approval of the new fees and categories of e-passport, a
64-page frequent travellers passport would be obtained at N20,000.
It also said that
passports for 18 to 60 year-olds would go for N15,000 while those for people
below 18 years as well as 60 years and above would be procured at N8,750.
Also approved, the
statement said, was the charge for change of data/lost passport, which would
cost N20,000.
Similarly, change of
names due to marriage, divorce and death of spouse would be effected at N8,750
while change of data on request would attract N30,000 as processing fees.
It listed advantages
of the reform to include gender friendliness and care for the young and the
aged.
“The reform also
accommodates frequent travellers, forestalls identity theft and conforms to
international best practice,” it said.
The statement also
said that the effective date for the new passport would be announced soon.
