The Federal Government has denied introducing additional charges for Nigerians applying for international passports in the United Kingdom under the ongoing special intervention exercise.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said applicants are required to pay only the approved passport fees of $150 for a five-year passport and $230 for a 10-year passport, excluding bank charges.
The clarification followed complaints from some Nigerians over delays and inconveniences at intervention centres, including Manchester.
In a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Alao Babatunde, Tunji-Ojo said the exercise was introduced to provide Nigerians in the UK with additional options for processing their passport applications.
He stressed that neither the Ministry of Interior nor the Nigeria Immigration Service had approved any charges beyond the official fees.
The minister said consultations were ongoing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the challenges reported by applicants.
The special intervention exercise, being conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission, is taking place in London, Manchester, Aberdeen, and Cardiff between September 7 and 26.
Applicants have also been encouraged to use the contactless biometric passport application system.
Leave feedback about this