A trip home suits the steps that need you in person. Plan it around the appointments, not around the flight.
Book the appointments before you fly
Three things need your presence on a fixed date or at a fixed centre.
- Passport. NIS asks for an appointment at your chosen passport office for photo and biometric capture. Check the earliest dates at appointments.immigration.gov.ng/availability, then choose a centre. NIS lists processing hours as Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, local time.
- Police certificate, if you need one. Fingerprints are taken in person, at the police command or formation chosen during the online application. You must attend on your scheduled date.
- Driving licence. Who attends? The applicant, in person. Biometric capture and testing happen at the processing centre you chose on the form.
A vetted partner firm can prepare the passport renewal application. You still need one visit to a passport office for your photo and fingerprints. Start a passport renewal.
Then fit in the flexible steps
- NIN enrolment. NIMC's diaspora guidance says Nigerians abroad can enrol free when they are in Nigeria, provided they have a valid passport.
- Authentication in Abuja. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists its service at foreignaffairs.gov.ng/services/document-authentication, with an office in Abuja. Its page publishes no fee or processing time, so ask what to bring.
- A notary. Check the public register at notary.gov.ng before you hand over an original.
Getting a Nigerian document ready for use abroad sets out how a notary and the Ministry fit together.
Passport fees: home or diaspora?
The home fees apply only to applications made in Nigeria. The diaspora fees apply to applications made abroad.
| Booklet | Made in Nigeria | Made abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 5-year | ₦100,000 | $150 |
| 10-year | ₦200,000 | $230 |
Prices exclude bank charges, and the portal shows the final amount. The diaspora figures are not the only ones in circulation: the Consulate General in New York's fee table shows $142 for the 32-page 5-year booklet, and the contactless route lists $130 for it plus a $100 service fee. Read the total on the portal before you pay. Nigerian passport fees for Nigerians abroad covers the diaspora side.
If the passport will not be ready before you fly
NIS's own renewal target is 21 days after successful enrolment. That is a target, not a promise, and a short trip may end first.
The passport portal offers courier delivery for an extra fee. NIS has not published the delivery fee, so check it before you choose. NIS announcements in August 2026 also mention a home delivery service. Ask NIS what happens to a passport that is not ready when you leave the country.
A sensible order for the trip
- Before you fly: check every appointment and the licence renewal window.
- First days: passport biometrics and police fingerprints, the two fixed dates.
- Middle of the trip: the driving licence, and NIN enrolment if you need it.
- Last: Abuja authentication, once you know which papers the receiving side wants.
Confirm each office's hours before you go. NIS lists Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, so check that your appointment falls inside those hours.
Common mistakes
- Booking the flight before checking appointment dates.
- Assuming one visit covers every office.
- Leaving authentication until the last day, when the Ministry publishes no processing time.
- Forgetting that the police certificate has its own validity window. Ask who is reading it.
- Paying anyone at a police formation for fingerprints. The police say to pay nothing extra there.
For the remote side of the same chain, see what Nigerians abroad can do remotely. If you are moving home for good, see documents to update when you move back to Nigeria. The diaspora and life events hub has the rest.