Passport (NIS)
How to renew a Nigerian passport in 2026.
A practical guide to renewing the Nigerian international passport via the NIS — booklet types, the 32 vs 64-page choice, documents, capture, and realistic timelines.
The Nigerian international passport is issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Renewal pairs an online application and payment with a biometric capture appointment at a passport office or, for those abroad, a mission. The Enhanced E-Passport is now the standard booklet, and your NIN is the spine of the application.
This guide walks through the renewal route — what to choose, what to bring, and how long each booklet type realistically takes — so your application is not bounced at the capture stage.
Booklet type: 32-page vs 64-page, 5-year vs 10-year
The NIS offers two page counts (32 and 64) and two validity terms (5 years and 10 years). The 64-page 10-year booklet costs the most but suits frequent travellers who fill pages with visas and stamps. A 32-page 5-year booklet is fine for occasional travel.
Validity term and page count are priced separately by the NIS. See the live, term-specific fee on /catalog/NIS.PASSPORT_RENEWAL.
What you need to renew
Renewal assumes the NIS already holds your record from the previous passport. Bring:
- Your current or most recent passport (the data page is what they verify against).
- Your NIN slip — the application will not complete without a valid National Identification Number.
- A recent passport photograph meeting NIS specifications (white background).
- Proof of payment from the online application.
- A guarantor form and/or local government letter where the office requests one (varies by office).
Step-by-step
The application runs the same way whether you self-serve on the NIS portal or use an authorised agent:
1. Apply and pay online
The NIS application captures your details, the booklet type, and the office where you will do capture. Payment is online in naira (or the relevant currency at a mission). Docufy pre-fills from your old passport so you only confirm.
2. Book the capture appointment
You select a passport office and an appointment slot. Capture is mandatory — facial photo, fingerprints, and signature — and cannot be done remotely.
3. Attend capture
Bring the document checklist above. The officer verifies your data against the old passport and your NIN, then captures biometrics.
4. Collect the booklet
Production time depends on the booklet type and office workload. The NIS publishes target turnarounds per booklet; the 32-page is generally faster than the 64-page.
Realistic timelines
The NIS Enhanced E-Passport scheme publishes a target turnaround — historically three weeks for a standard renewal and shorter for expedited service where offered. In practice it varies by office and demand season; budget six weeks if you have travel planned and apply early. Do not book non-refundable flights against an in-progress passport.
Fix your NIN before you apply, not after
The single most common renewal rejection is a name or date-of-birth mismatch between the passport application and the NIN record. The NIS reads your NIN as the source of truth. If your NIN has a typo or your name changed after marriage, correct the NIN first — see the guide on NIN modification and the NIMC hub at /agencies/NIMC — then apply for the passport.
Questions
Frequently asked.
How much does it cost to renew a Nigerian passport in 2026?
The NIS prices each booklet type separately — a 32-page 5-year booklet costs less than a 64-page 10-year one. The live, term-specific government fee is shown on /catalog/NIS.PASSPORT_RENEWAL, passed through at the published rate with a fixed Docufy service fee on top.
How long does passport renewal take?
The NIS targets around three weeks for a standard renewal, with the 32-page booklet generally faster than the 64-page. It varies by office and season — budget up to six weeks if you have travel planned, and never book non-refundable flights against an in-progress passport.
Do I need my NIN to renew my passport?
Yes. The NIS application is built around your NIN, and a mismatch between the NIN record and the application is the most common cause of rejection. Correct any NIN error before you apply.
Can I renew before my passport expires?
Yes. You can renew while the current passport is still valid; the remaining validity is generally not added to the new booklet, but renewing early avoids being caught without a valid passport.
Can I avoid going to the passport office?
No — biometric capture is mandatory and in person. What Docufy removes is the application, payment and document-check friction, plus the appointment booking, so the only step left is the capture itself.
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