UK Passport: FG Denies Extra Charges, Moves to Resolve Applicants’ Complaints

The Federal Government has denied imposing additional charges on Nigerians applying for international passports in the United Kingdom under its ongoing special passport intervention exercise.

The clarification followed complaints from applicants over delays, poor coordination and inconveniences at some intervention centres, including Manchester.

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, expressed concern over the reported difficulties and assured Nigerians that the government was taking steps to address the challenges.

In a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, the minister said the intervention exercise was introduced to provide Nigerians in the UK with additional options for processing their passport applications.

The ministry said applicants were required to pay only the approved passport fees of $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, excluding applicable bank charges.

The government stressed that neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service had introduced any additional charges beyond the approved fees.

“It is, therefore, necessary to clarify that this process does not come with extra costs different from the official fees of $150 and $230 for a five-year and 10-year validity passport, respectively, exclusive of bank charges,” the statement said.

The minister also disclosed that consultations were ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the difficulties being experienced by applicants at the intervention centres.

“Consultations are ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that any inconveniences during this process do not persist any longer,” Tunji-Ojo said.

He further encouraged applicants to take advantage of the contactless biometric passport application system, describing it as a seamless alternative for Nigerians seeking to process their passports.

The government’s clarification followed a social media complaint by Oluomo of Derby, who criticised the experience of applicants at the Passport Intervention Centre in Manchester.

Oluomo said some applicants who arrived early at the centre were left waiting for several hours without being attended to.

“It is now 11:30 a.m., and people who arrived as early as 9:00 a.m. are still waiting, with nothing happening,” he wrote on X on Monday.

He called for improved organisation and communication around the intervention exercise, stressing that many Nigerians had taken time off work and travelled considerable distances to access the service.

The Federal Government, however, reaffirmed its commitment to improving passport services for Nigerians both within the country and abroad.

Tunji-Ojo said the administration remained committed to providing relief to Nigerians and ensuring that government services were delivered more efficiently.