By Lizzy Chirkpi
Nigerians in the United Kingdom facing prolonged delays in obtaining or renewing their passports may soon have relief as the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) deploys a dedicated intervention team to clear outstanding applications.
The NIS said the Passport Intervention Team has been deployed to the UK to process pending applications, facilitate new passport applications and handle renewals as part of efforts to address persistent challenges associated with accessing passport services abroad.
The intervention is expected to provide additional support for Nigerians who have experienced difficulties securing timely appointments or completing their passport renewal processes.
A similar intervention exercise was conducted across several UK cities in December 2025, targeting Nigerians who had encountered difficulties obtaining early appointments for passport services. The exercise reportedly enrolled about 850 applicants within a few days.
The latest deployment is expected to complement the NIS’s regular passport operations and digital services while providing an opportunity for applicants with unresolved cases to have their applications processed.
However, the NIS urged applicants not to visit any venue until the schedule and locations for the intervention have been officially announced.
“Applicants are therefore advised not to proceed to any location until the relevant schedule has been officially communicated and to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom for further details,” the Service stated.
The agency also provided dedicated channels for enquiries and complaints.
“For enquiries or complaints, please contact: passport.london@immigration.
The Service clarified that the intervention would not affect its existing digital passport services, which will remain available throughout the exercise.
“All NIS digital passport application channels, including the Contactless Passport Application System, remain fully operational during the intervention exercise,” it said.
The NIS also confirmed that its home-delivery service remains available to applicants who wish to use the option.
Tackling Persistent Passport Challenges
The latest intervention is part of broader efforts by the Federal Government to improve Nigeria’s passport administration and address longstanding complaints from citizens at home and abroad.
For years, Nigerians in some countries have faced lengthy waiting periods, appointment difficulties and other logistical challenges in obtaining or renewing passports.
The consequences can extend beyond travel, particularly for Nigerians whose valid passports are required for residence permits, employment, banking, immigration documentation and other official transactions in their countries of residence.
In the UK, appointment-related difficulties have previously prompted special interventions involving the NIS, the Nigerian High Commission and Nigerian community organisations.
The December 2025 exercise was one such intervention, providing passport services to hundreds of Nigerians who had struggled to secure appointments through the regular process.
The latest deployment is therefore expected to help reduce the backlog while ensuring that Nigerians in the UK continue to have access to both physical intervention services and the NIS’s digital passport platforms.