NIS runs two different fixes for a passport that shows the wrong name. One corrects an error. The other records a change in your status. They ask for slightly different papers, so pick the right one before you apply.
The short answer
| Correction of error | Change after marriage | |
|---|---|---|
| Use it when | A detail is wrong, or a name needs adding, deleting or rearranging | Your name changed because of marriage |
| Proof of the reason | An application letter giving the reason | Your marriage certificate, plus an application letter |
| Charge | A non-refundable administrative charge | Check the portal's fee summary |
Both lists also ask for a High Court affidavit, a newspaper publication, an NPC birth certificate or declaration of age, a state of origin certificate and your passport data page.
Correction of error
NIS's list is an application letter giving the reason, a High Court affidavit, a newspaper publication, an NPC birth certificate or declaration of age, a state of origin certificate and your passport data page. The route also covers replacing, adding, deleting or rearranging names.
A non-refundable administrative charge applies, listed at ₦30,000 in NIS's service standards. The standards do not say whether it is paid on top of the booklet fees, so check the fee summary on the portal before you add up a total.
Name change after marriage
NIS lists your marriage certificate, a High Court affidavit, a newspaper publication, an application letter, an NPC birth certificate or declaration of age, a state of origin certificate and your passport data page under a change in marital status. For a remarriage, NIS asks for the certificate of your current marriage. After a divorce, it asks for a decree absolute or a declaration of divorce.
The portal's wording for the newspaper copy mentions a waiting period after publication. Read it before you publish and apply. You attend with your current booklet for photo and biometrics.
Changing your name on your passport after marriage lists the documents NIS asks for. Reverting your name after divorce covers the other direction.
Which one are you?
- A letter is misspelt, or a name was recorded wrongly. Use correction of error.
- Your name changed through marriage. Use the change-of-marital-status route.
- Both at once. Ask NIS which to apply for before you file. Do not file twice.
- Your NIN and passport disagree. Check the NIN first. NIS's renewal steps compare your old passport with your NIN record, and mismatches show up there.
Why passport renewal needs your NIN to match explains that step. Your name doesn't match across your documents covers the wider fix.
For Nigerians abroad
Nigerians abroad apply at the nearest embassy, high commission or consulate, unless they use the contactless app. That app is not for first-time applicants and minors. The Consulate General in New York adds that correction-of-data applications are also ineligible. If you are unsure, ask your mission before you book.
If your passport is also due for renewal, the passport renewal guide covers that separate step. A correction or a change of marital status is its own NIS process.
Common mistakes
- Filing a correction when your name changed through marriage.
- Publishing the newspaper notice and applying before you have read the portal's waiting-period wording.
- Ignoring your NIN. NIS's renewal steps compare passport data with your NIN record, so check the NIN first and ask NIS whether the same check applies to a change of data.
- Quoting a total fee before the portal's fee summary.
For the whole chain after a wedding, see the order to change your name after marriage and our diaspora and life events hub.