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RESUMPTION OF PASSPORT FAST TRACK SERVICE AT THE NIGERIA HIGH
COMMISSION, LONDON
The High Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the United
Kingdom takes this opportunity to express its appreciation for the patience
of all Nigerians in the UK, especially, Applicants for Nigerian passports who
had urgent needs to renew their passports. Mission appreciates your
understanding in this regard. We want to assure you, that we would always
strive towards improved service delivery at the Nigeria High Commission.
Further to the Public Notice released by the High Commission on 16th
September, 2021, on the suspension of passport fast track services due to
certain challenges that the Mission faced at the time, the High Commission
wishes to inform Applicants that the challenges for fast track services have
been resolved.
Meanwhile, it is expedient to remind all Nigerians on the issue of clearing of
backlogs on passport processing. It would be recalled that the lockdown in
UK arising from the outbreak of COVID-19 led to the suspension of passport
processing, amongst other services from December 2019 to March 2021.
Within this period, over 18,000 applications were outstanding as backlog for processing. Mission resumed operations on 12th April, 2021 and has since cleared the backlog. However, from 13th April to 30th September, 2021,
16,518 passport applications have been received from Nigerians desirous of
renewing or obtaining new Nigerian passports. Mission has since been
attending to these applications. We are currently clearing the backlog of
Applicants, who applied in May 2021. We would subsequently clear the backlog of June, July, August and September 2021 accordingly.
The challenge faced in the passport processing in the last few weeks
necessitated the Mission to suspend the fast track services to attend to other applicants, whose biometrics appointments have always received
prompt attention. This will continue based on the date of application/online
payment. Meanwhile, Mission is not unaware of the fact that some
Nigerians are in urgent need for passport. Hence, such applicants may wish to avail themselves of the fast track services, which is optional, with effect
from Monday, 11th October, 2021. Unlike before, Applicants for fast track service should come not earlier than 10.00 am daily. This is to allow adequate attention to non-fast track applicants.
It is pertinent to advise Passport applicants to embark on the processing of the renewal of their passport, six months before the expiry date. This will
make the fast track optional service undesirable. In actual fact, the fast
track service is very disruptive to our operations, because it does not allow
for proper planning since the actual numbers of applicants that would
require the service are unpredictable.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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