How to renew a Nigerian passport from the USA

Before you start: your NIN

The New York consulate states that a National Identification Number (NIN) is required to complete an application for a renewal or a new passport. It also says every name on your NIN record must be spelt exactly as it is on your existing passport. Check this first, because a mismatch holds up the passport.

If you do not have a NIN, companies licensed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) enrol Nigerians abroad and charge a fee, while enrolling in Nigeria is free if you hold a valid passport. NIMC publishes its licensed partners at nimc.gov.ng/diaspora.

Which office handles your application

Passport appointments in the US are offered at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, the Consulate General in Atlanta and the Consulate General in New York. You choose one when you book.

New York covers Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin. We could not find an official list of the states covered by Atlanta or Washington, so check with those missions if you live elsewhere. See also the New York consulate guide.

Renewing in person, step by step

1. Apply online. Complete the renewal application on the NIS e-passport portal at passportintl.immigration.gov.ng.
2. Pay the passport fee. You pay online by debit or credit card at the end of the application. Print the payment receipt.
3. Book your biometrics appointment. Book on the NIS appointments site, appointments.immigration.gov.ng, and pick your mission. Appointments made on the New York consulate's own website are only for other consular services, not passports. Print the appointment confirmation.
4. Attend the appointment. Bring the items in the checklist below. Fingerprints, signature and photograph are taken on the day.
5. Wait for the passport by post. It is mailed to you in a pre-paid, self-addressed USPS Overnight Express Mail envelope with a tracking number, which you supply. You can follow production at track.immigration.gov.ng.

An application stays valid for one year from the date you submit it. After that you would have to apply and pay again.

What to bring to a New York appointment

• A printed copy of your online passport application form
• A printed copy of your payment receipt
• Your appointment confirmation slip
• Your original, most recent Nigerian passport. Without it, the application is treated as a lost-passport case
• A copy of the data page of that passport
• A pre-paid, self-addressed USPS Overnight Express Mail envelope with a tracking number
• A credit or debit card for the consulate's $50 administrative fee

This list follows the New York consulate's checklist for passport reissuance. In New York, printed passport photographs are not required because a digital photograph is taken at the appointment. Other missions publish their own lists, so read the page for the mission you book.

Renewing without a visit: contactless enrolment

According to the New York consulate, the contactless system is available for renewals only, so first-time applicants and people correcting their details must attend in person.

1. Install the NIS Mobile app. Create a profile and activate it with your email address.
2. Apply and pay in the app. Use the Passport Application Services tab and choose the Self-Enrollment option. Note your Application ID and Reference Number.
3. Check that you are eligible. Open Contactless Biometric Enrollment and enter both numbers. If you are not eligible, book an in-person appointment instead.
4. Capture your biometrics. Record your fingerprints and photograph in the app, then print the application form and payment receipt.
5. Post your documents to the consulate. Send a copy of your most recent passport, the application form, the payment receipt and a $50 USPS money order for the administrative fee, with a self-addressed USPS return envelope. Only USPS money orders are accepted, and the passport is not produced if anything is missing.

These steps follow the New York consulate's contactless instructions.

How long it takes

Official estimates differ. The NIS service standard for a renewal is 21 days after successful enrolment. The New York consulate says up to 12 weeks after biometric enrolment, and the Washington embassy says about two months after biometric capture. Plan around the longer figure.