Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. You can apply for and travel to Nigeria with an Emergency Travel Certificate obtainable at the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York.

Applicants are advised to commence application for a fresh (new) or renewal of Passport at least six (6) months before intended date of travel or expiration date of the Passport respectively. This is to ensure that possible delays in appointment scheduling, biometric enrollment, and passport issuance do not affect your trip.

Please visit our Apply for a Nigerian Passport page for details on how to apply for, or renew your Nigerian passport at the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York. This page includes step‑by‑step instructions on required forms, documents, fees, and appointment scheduling before you begin your application.

Yes. For Passport services, applicants are advised to schedule appointments online. This should be done after payment for the Passport application has been completed.

Kindly note that Passport applicants without a valid appointment will not be attended to.

Payment may be made online with a Credit card, Debit card, or United States Postal Service Money Order. Visit our Apply for a Nigerian Passport page for more details.

The average turnaround time for delivery of a Nigerian Passport is not later than 12 weeks after biometric enrollment. This is barring any application issues such as corrections, change of Passport data or NIN data details.

Please note that Passports will be produced and mailed to applicants through the self-addressed return USPS envelopes they submit.

No. Passports are produced and mailed to applicants within 12 weeks, barring any issues with data correction or unavailability of Passport booklets.

Go to track.immigration.gov.ng and provide the necessary information. When the Production segment of the Passport Application Status shows Passport Issued and every segment is ticked, then track your self-addressed return envelope with your USPS Tracking Number to know the location of your Nigerian Passport.

Please send an email to switchboard@nigeriahouse.com or cgnny@nigeriahouse.com, providing your 12-digit enrollment number. This number will be on the Enrollment Slip you were given after your biometrics were taken and begins with "537000...".

Appointments for Nigerian Passport biometric enrollments may be scheduled on the Appointment page of the Nigeria Immigration Service website.

The Passport payment platform accommodates payment for a maximum of five (5) people at a time. Please note that one of the applicants must be the cardholder. Kindly note that a payment confirmation will be sent by email upon successful payment.

As indicated on the Nigerian Passport application confirmation slip, payment for a Nigerian Passport expires one year from the date of the payment, if unused. Applicants are strongly advised to utilize their payment within the validity period by scheduling their in-person appointments.

Available Nigerian E-Passports issued by the Nigeria Consulate in New York include:

1. The 10-year, 64-page Enhanced Nigerian E-Passport
2. The five-year, 32-page Enhanced Nigerian E-Passport
3. The five-year, 64-page Enhanced Nigerian E-Passports.

Please note that there is no 10-year, 32-page Enhanced Nigerian E-Passport. For more details, visit our Apply for a Nigerian Passport page.

The most common errors that may delay processing of your Nigerian Passport application are:

1. Inconsistent arrangement of names (first, middle and last name). Applicant names must appear the same as they appear on expired Nigerian Passports
2. Mismatch of NIN and Nigerian Passport details
3. Inconsistent date of birth details
4. Presenting an earlier expired Nigerian Passport other than the most recently expired Passport
5. Delayed posting of Nigerian Passport payment to the Nigeria Immigration Service Portal
6. No submission of a self addressed, USPS return Envelope.

For a Change of Name request due to marriage, please do the following:

1. Complete an online application for renewal of your Nigerian Passport with the new name(s).
2. Pay a non-refundable administrative fee of N33,000, payable online with a Nigerian debit card.
3. Thereafter, submit your application to the Consulate  General of Nigeria in New York during your enrollment interview.
4. Include a handwritten and signed application for Change of Data, along with proof of payment of N33,000 and supporting documents for the change request, e.g. Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate or Court Change of Name Certificate.

Most applications take approximately three (3) months, depending on when all required documents, including payment of the N33,000 in Nigeria is made.

Applicants for re-issuance of lost Nigerian Passports must complete, pay, and schedule a Passport appointment online. In addition, they are to submit a Police Report, copy of lost Passport, or the Nigerian Passport number if a copy is unavailable, or birth certificate, and a $350 USPS Money Order. Please see our Apply for a Nigerian Passport page for more details.

Kindly note that US authorities require Nigerians who have lost their Nigerian Passport to first obtain a Letter of Introduction from the Consulate. Please visit our Letter to the Police for Lost Passport page for more details.

Barring any delays due to incomplete application requirements, it takes approximately 12 weeks for a Nigerian Passport to be re-issued. Kindly note that this process must also include biometrics enrollment at the Consulate.

Nigerian Citizenship is possible either by Birth or Naturalization. However, it is not automatically available to non-Nigerian Spouses by marriage.

Non-Nigerian Spouses desirous of acquiring Nigerian Citizenship must apply and meet the criteria. Please find out more at any Nigeria Immigration Service Office or at the Nigeria Immigration Service office at any major Nigerian Airport.

Yes. If the biometric enrollment process has not been completed by the applicant and submitted for production, a request for refund may be requested. Kindly note that all refund requests should be directed to Innovate1Services.

This will require you to submit an application for a Fresh Nigerian Passport. Please see full details on requirement for your application here.

For re-issuance of an expired or expiring e-passport, you will need to provide the following:

1. Duly completed online application and proof of payment
2. A scheduled appointment at the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York, along with the original copy of your expired or expiring Nigerian E-Passport.

Nigerian Passport Re-issuance for Minors:
Please note that in addition to the above documents, applications for minors must include a Letter of Consent written and signed by both Parents. It must also include copies of the Nigerian Passport Data pages of both Parents or copies of their National ID cards. Please visit our Apply for a Nigerian Passport page for more details.

Yes. In addition, you should already have submitted your application for your Nigerian Passport and have made payment online for it. Please visit the NIS Appointments page to schedule your appointment.

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes provision for dual citizenship for Nigerians. However, it is advisable to also check with your American Office to find out if this is allowed.

Nigerian Citizens who have lost their Passports and cannot wait to go through the process for reissuance due to an emergency can apply for an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC). This is usually issued by the Consulate within a few days and can grant one entrance into Nigeria. Kindly note that Emergency Travel Certificates are only available to Nigerian Citizens. Please see the link above for details on requirements, fees, and to submit your application.

To receive a waiver from provision of a Parent’s consent, the applying Parent must provide proof of Sole Custody of the Child issued by a Court.

To apply for a change of Name, Date, or Place of Birth in your Nigerian Passport, you will need to provide the following:

1. A copy of your current or most recently expired Nigerian Passport.
2. All documents backing up your claims for the change such as your Birth Certificate, School Certificates, Affidavit, etc.

All married women desiring a change of Surname due to marriage should submit a Passport Application on the Nigeria Immigration Service website, choose the Change of Name option and upload the required documents for the application. The following documents are required:

1. Marriage Certificate.
2. Statutory evidence of Change of Name due to marital status.
3. Newspaper publication of the Change of Name published in any Nigerian national newspaper.
4. Evidence of Maiden Name.
5. Proof of Spouse identity such as Spouses' Passport Data Page, etc.
6. Current Nigerian Passport booklet and copy of Passport Data page of the Applicant.
7. Divorce Certificate (for Divorcees only).
8. Certificate of Death of Spouse or any other legally acceptable valid document (for Widows only).

All Applicants requesting for Authentication of Documents issued from Nigeria must ensure that the documents have first been authenticated by the Legal Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja. This must be done before bringing the documents to the Consulate for authentication. The fee for Authentication of each Document is a $100. It is to be paid to the Consulate by United States Post Office Money Order. Kindly note that this service is different from Legalization of Documents Consular Service.

The Consulate General of Nigeria, New York is no longer authorized to issue Declaration of Age documents. Kindly note that these Documents must now be obtained from the National Population Commission in Abuja. It may also be replaced by a Sworn Affidavit from a Court in Nigeria.

To remotely apply for an Emergency Travel Certificate, visit our Emergency Travel Certificates page to get more details and submit the application online. Upon completion, you may mail the completed (printed) application form, with applicable attachments to the Consulate along with a pre-paid return envelope. .

Kindly note that Emergency Travel Certificates are valid for a maximum of 6 weeks and are issued and mailed within 48 hours of approval.

A visit to the Consulate is not required for processing ETC.

No. Emergency Travel Certificates, issued to Nigerians only, are a one-way travel permit to Nigeria. It is surrendered at the point of arrival in Nigeria.

Applicants who travel to Nigeria with an Emergency Travel Certificate with the intention of returning to the US must ensure that they have valid re-entry permits to the US e.g. US Passport, Green Card, or valid Nigerian Passport with a US Visa.

No, the Consulate General of Nigeria, New York does not issue NINs or BVNs. To apply for either of them, visit the NIMC website for a list of Accredited Vendors appointed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) for issuance of NINs in the United States.

Yes. Please visit our Life Attestation Letter page for more details and requirements. Kindly note that applicants must appear in person for verification.

No. Applicants must wait for their Appointment dates as there is no walk-in or express Passport Appointment service at the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York.

No, there is no need to reschedule your appointment. You can simply send an email to the Consulate at cgnny@nigeriahouse.com, informing that you would like to come in at a later date. Kindly note that Passport Application payments are valid for no more than one year from the date of payment.

No. It is mandatory to have a verified National Identification Number (NIN) before you can submit your application for a Nigerian Passport and be accepted for biometric enrollment. See details about National Identification Numbers, requirements and where to apply on our Apply for a Passport page.

No. The two are different. An NIN is a National Identification Number issued to you by the Nigerian Government while the BVN is a Bank Verification Number issued to you by your individual bank.

Yes, it is a problem. The order of name arrangement on your Passport must be the exact match in arrangement with your name on your NIN slip. To clarify, your Surname, Middle Name and Last Name or initials must match on both your Nigerian Passport and NIN slip.

Yes. You must be physically present at the Consulate for your Nigerian Passport Interview Appointment and Biometric Enrollment.

Yes. All applicants, irrespective of age, must be physically present at the Consulate for their Nigerian Passport Interview Appointment and Biometric Enrollment.