The Nigeria Immigration Service [NIS] has postponed the issuance of the new 10-year enhanced e-passport till April 29, to enable it to finalise the integration of the National Identity Number with the new passport.

Mr Muhammad Babandede, Comptroller-General, NIS, disclosed this in a statement signed by Mr Sunday James, the Service Public Relations Officer on Monday in Abuja.

The NIS had on January 21, announced that it will begin issuance of the document on March 4.

According to the statement, consequent upon this, the price of the current passport still remains the same.

“Applicants are encouraged to visit our website www.immigration.gov.ng for further information on fees payable and application process.”

The new e-passport was officially launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 16.

The cost of the 32-page five-year standard passport stood at N25, 000, 64-page five-year standard passport, N 35,000, while the 64-page 10-year standard passport cost N70,000 and the 32-page five-year official passport is N15,000.

The new passport has enormous advantages which include ten-year validity, self-tracking application and express centres for an urgent application.

Other advantages include weather friendliness, compliance with the latest ICAO standard, poly-carbonate technology that reduces the incidence of damage as well as saving Nigerians in Diaspora time in hitherto frequent visits to Nigerian Embassies for the document.

(NAN)