Immigration to automate passport application process – Acting CG Adepoju

<p>The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said it has drawn up plans to automate the travel passport application process.</p>, <p>The acting Comptroller General of NIS, Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju disclosed this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Thursday.</p>, <p>Adepoju said that the Service is working to end the human interface in passport application and renewal processes across the federation.</p>, <p>She said that the new process the NIS wants to embark upon will help to reduce the stress and delay Nigerians experience while applying for passports.</p>, <p>“One thing Nigerians know about the Nigeria Immigration Service is the issuance of the Nigerian passport and we know the number of Nigerians that have applied for passports in the past two years have been very high and unprecedented,” Adepoju said.</p>, <p>“But be that as it may, the service is working hard to ensure that we meet the expectations of Nigerians. Number one, we are automating our passport application process; we are trying to ensure that we cut out human interface.</p>, <p>“Our applications are available online and we are trying to sensitise our applicants that they should go online for these applications to avoid patronising louts.”</p>, <p>The NIS acting CG, however, said Nigerians should understand that the travel passport is a security document, hence it will take some time before they are issued.</p>, <p>Adepoju also pointed out that there are a number of processes like carrying out security checks, address verification, among others.</p>, <p>For a fast and seamless process, she urged Nigerians to always start their passport renewal application as early as six months before expiration and noted that fresh applicants do not have to wait until they are in urgent need for their passport before starting their application.</p>, <p>“This is because for a fresh application, it takes six weeks to get the passport ready, while it takes three weeks for renewal,” Adepoju said.</p>, <p>“Considering the crowd in the passport offices at