The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has deployed a special Passport Intervention Team to the United Kingdom to address pending applications and improve access to passport services for Nigerians living in the country.
The intervention, which begins with the team’s arrival in the U.K. on Monday, August 10, 2026, is part of efforts by the Federal Government to make passport services more accessible and responsive to Nigerians in the diaspora.
The team was deployed following a directive from the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nanna Nandap.
According to the NIS, the intervention team was drawn from the Service’s headquarters in Nigeria and will work alongside officials of the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom.
The exercise is expected to focus on applicants who have experienced delays with their passport applications, as well as Nigerians who need to obtain new passports or renew existing ones.
The deployment is particularly significant for Nigerians in the U.K. who may have been waiting for their applications to be processed or who need to regularise their travel documents ahead of passport expiry.
Who Can Benefit From The Passport Intervention?
The NIS said the special exercise is open to three major categories of applicants.
The first category consists of Nigerians with pending passport applications who have already started the application process but are yet to receive their documents.
The second category covers Nigerians applying for passports for the first time or seeking new passports.
The third category includes existing passport holders whose documents have less than one year remaining before expiry and who wish to begin the renewal process.
Applicants participating in the exercise are expected to come prepared with their completed application forms and evidence of payment.
However, the immigration authorities have warned applicants against travelling to any intervention location until the official timetable for the exercise is released.
This is because the NIS is yet to publish the complete details covering the cities, dates, venues and specific enrolment times for the intervention.
The Service said the schedule would be communicated separately through the appropriate official channels.
Nigerians in the U.K. have therefore been advised to monitor communications from the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom for information about where and when the intervention team will provide services.
NIS To Visit Different U.K. Cities
Rather than restricting the intervention to a single location, the NIS said the team would visit designated cities across the United Kingdom.
The arrangement is intended to give Nigerians living in different parts of the country an opportunity to access the passport exercise without necessarily travelling to one central location.
The visiting team will conduct passport enrolment and processing during the exercise, working with the Nigerian diplomatic mission in the U.K.
The move is also in line with the Federal Government’s broader effort to improve passport service delivery and reduce difficulties encountered by Nigerians at home and abroad.
Passport processing has remained an important area of concern for Nigerians in the diaspora because delays in obtaining or renewing travel documents can create difficulties for people who need valid passports for international travel, residency requirements and other official purposes.
By sending a dedicated intervention team from the NIS headquarters, the authorities hope to deal directly with outstanding applications and provide assistance to eligible applicants.
Applicants Warned Against Unofficial Information
The immigration service specifically advised Nigerians not to proceed to any location based on unofficial information.
The warning is important because the exact locations and timetable for the intervention had not been released at the time of the announcement.
Applicants have instead been directed to rely on official communication from the Nigerian High Commission and the NIS before making arrangements to attend the exercise.
The NIS also provided channels through which applicants can make enquiries or lodge complaints relating to passport services.
For passport-related enquiries in London, applicants can contact passport.london@immigration.gov.ng. The Service also provided a WhatsApp-only contact line, +234 916 087 8000.
The immigration authorities urged Nigerians to use the designated channels for genuine enquiries and complaints concerning their applications.
Digital Passport Services Remain Available
The physical intervention exercise will not mean that the NIS has suspended its existing digital passport services.
The Service said all its digital passport application channels will remain operational throughout the intervention period.
This includes the Contactless Passport Application System, which allows eligible applicants to complete aspects of the passport process digitally.
The continued availability of digital services means Nigerians do not necessarily have to wait for the visiting team before beginning or progressing with eligible passport applications.
The NIS also confirmed that its home delivery service remains available to applicants.
This provides another option for Nigerians who qualify for passport delivery and helps reduce the need for applicants to make repeated visits to passport offices or collection centres.
Government Pushes Improved Passport Service
The latest intervention forms part of the Federal Government’s wider push to improve passport services for Nigerians both within the country and abroad.
The NIS has increasingly expanded digital options and introduced measures aimed at simplifying the application process, particularly for Nigerians living outside the country.
For Nigerians in the U.K., the special intervention provides an opportunity to resolve pending applications and access enrolment services closer to their places of residence.
The exercise could also help the immigration authorities identify recurring problems affecting passport applicants and provide direct solutions to outstanding cases.
The Minister’s directive to deploy the intervention team further highlights the Government’s focus on improving the experience of Nigerians seeking essential immigration documents.
The NIS said the exercise reflects its commitment to making passport services more efficient, transparent and responsive.
The Service also appealed to applicants to follow official instructions and wait for the publication of the intervention schedule before visiting any designated venue.
Until the timetable is officially released, Nigerians in different parts of the U.K. are expected to monitor the communication channels of the Nigerian High Commission and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
The intervention comes at a time when valid Nigerian passports remain essential for citizens travelling internationally or dealing with immigration, residency and other official requirements.
For applicants with pending cases, new applicants and Nigerians whose passports have less than one year to expiry, the U.K. intervention could provide an opportunity to have their applications processed through a dedicated NIS team.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has therefore urged eligible Nigerians to ensure they have the necessary documents, including their completed application forms and proof of payment, ready for enrolment when the official schedule is announced.
The Service reiterated that applicants should rely only on official announcements for information concerning the dates, cities and venues of the exercise.
The NIS maintained that its objective is to deliver a more efficient passport service to Nigerians in the United Kingdom while continuing to keep its digital application and home delivery channels available throughout the intervention.