Pick one day a year and go through your Nigerian documents. The point is to catch the ones with dates before the dates catch you.
The review at a glance
| Document | What to check | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Expiry date, and whether to renew early | Passport fees abroad |
| Driving licence | Expiry date and the renewal window | Renewing from abroad |
| Police certificate | Its age, if you rely on one | Timing a police certificate |
| NIN | Phone, email and address still correct | Update your NIN phone or email |
| Company | Returns, directors, address, Tax ID | Running a company from abroad |
Passport and driving licence
Check the passport's expiry date first. NIS renews passports whether they have expired or are still valid.
The contactless route for eligible Nigerians abroad opens up to a year before the passport expires. Contactless passport renewal eligibility explains who qualifies. Fees differ by where you apply: the home fees apply only to applications made in Nigeria, and Nigerian passport fees for Nigerians abroad covers the diaspora side.
For the licence, note the date the card expires. FRSC's renewal window opens from 30 days before the expiry date. Biometrics are taken in person, so a licence that lapses while you are abroad waits for your next trip. Put the trip and the window side by side.
Police certificate and NIN
A police certificate ages. One High Commission page gives its validity as six months from the date of issue. Two guides report three months.
The employer, school or mission reading it may set its own limit. If you keep a copy for future applications, check its date against what you will need it for.
For the NIN, check that your phone, email and address still work. NIMC directs data changes to its self-service portal, and NIN modification needs no office visit unless you change your photo. The date of birth is the careful one. News reports say NIMC allows a change only once.
Company records, if you have one
If you own a Nigerian company, check that this year's annual return is filed. Check that no director or residential address change is outstanding, and that your Tax ID details still match.
Running a Nigerian company from abroad lists the dates. The compliance calendar holds them in one place.
Set the dates once
Put five dates in your calendar: passport expiry, licence expiry, the day the licence window opens, the age limit on any police certificate, and your company's annual return. Set a reminder well ahead of each.
If you keep authenticated copies of civil papers, note who asked for them and when. Getting a Nigerian document ready for use abroad shows how they were prepared.
Common mistakes
- Checking documents only when a form asks for them.
- Waiting for the licence to lapse, when renewing needs a trip home.
- Assuming an old police certificate is still good.
- Forgetting a dormant company, which still owes returns.
- Treating a date of birth change on your NIN as routine when news reports say it is allowed only once.
The diaspora and life events hub links each chain behind this checklist.