Nigeria Passport Application Guide

Nigerian passports are issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and applications are made online before you attend for biometric enrolment. This guide covers applying from Nigeria and from abroad, the Emergency Travel Certificate, and the Landing and Exit Cards. This page describes Nigerian rules. Verified against the NIS, October 2026.

The 15-second answer

Apply online through the NIS. In Nigeria, the application is online and you then visit a passport office for biometric enrolment; from outside Nigeria you apply online and book an appointment with a Nigerian Mission for biometric enrolment. A lost or stolen passport is covered by the Emergency Travel Certificate, described as getting you back on track in less than 72 hours.

Step 1 — apply online

• The NIS passport service is a streamlined, secure and contactless online process for obtaining or renewing a passport.
• You begin the application online rather than on paper at a counter.
• New rules for travelling through the borders apply to Landing and Exit Cards (see below).

Step 2 — biometric enrolment (in person)

Regardless of where you apply, the application alone is not enough — you attend in person for biometric enrolment:

• Applying from Nigeria: all applications are accepted online, and the applicant is then required to visit a passport office for biometric enrolment.
• Applying from outside Nigeria: the application is submitted online, and the applicant must book an appointment with a Nigerian Mission for biometric enrolment.

Your image is captured as part of that enrolment. For more on preparing a compliant picture, see the Nigeria passport photo page.

Step 3 — lost or stolen passport

If a passport is lost or stolen, the Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) is the NIS document for getting you back on track, described as being within reach in less than 72 hours. Report the loss and apply for the ETC through the NIS service.

At the border — Landing and Exit Cards

• Landing and Exit Cards are mandatory travel documents required of all passengers entering or departing Nigeria.
• They must be completed on arrival at or departure from Nigerian borders.
• The requirement commences on 1 May 2025.

Foreign residents — CERPAC

CERPAC (Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permit and Automated Cards) is issued by the NIS to foreign nationals residing and working in Nigeria. It serves as both a residence permit and an identity card, granting the right to live, work or do business in Nigeria for a specified duration, typically up to one year and renewable. CERPAC is mandatory for all non-Nigerians who intend to stay beyond 56 days for employment, business or long-term residence.

The photo

Because the passport photo is captured through the application’s biometric enrolment, the NIS publishes its image figures at source level rather than as a formal specification sheet — commonly about 600 × 800 px, under 2 MB, white background. The NIS does not publish a millimetre print size. Check a prepared file with the free passport photo checker, and compare formats on the photo size chart.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a Nigerian passport?
Apply online. In Nigeria, all applications are submitted online and you then visit a passport office for biometric enrolment. From outside Nigeria, you apply online and book an appointment with a Nigerian Mission for biometric enrolment.

Do I have to attend in person?
Yes. Even though the application is made online, you must attend in person for biometric enrolment — at a passport office in Nigeria or at a Nigerian Mission abroad.

What is the Emergency Travel Certificate?
The Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC) is a travel document for a lost or stolen passport; the NIS describes it as getting you back on track in less than 72 hours.

What are the Landing and Exit Cards?
They are mandatory travel documents required of all passengers entering or departing Nigeria, completed on arrival or departure at Nigerian borders. The requirement commences on 1 May 2025.

What is CERPAC?
CERPAC (Comprehensive Expatriate Residence Permit and Automated Cards) is a residence permit and identity card issued by the NIS to foreign nationals residing and working in Nigeria, typically valid up to one year and renewable. It is mandatory for non-Nigerians staying beyond 56 days for employment, business or long-term residence.

What photo do I need?
Your photo is captured as part of the application, so the biometric capture handles the image. The NIS does not publish a millimetre print specification; the figures often quoted (about 600 x 800 px, under 2 MB, white background) are reported at source level only.

Related: prepare the photo with the Nigeria passport photo page, check a file with the passport photo checker, and browse all passport guides.

Source note: the online passport application and the biometric-enrolment step (at a passport office in Nigeria or a Nigerian Mission abroad), the Emergency Travel Certificate (lost or stolen passport, in less than 72 hours), the mandatory Landing and Exit Cards (from 1 May 2025) and CERPAC are from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), immigration.gov.ng (checked October 2026). Requirements change; confirm the current position on the NIS site before you apply.

Browse all passport guides or the photo size chart.