22 August 2008

E-passport program for Nigerians expanding to South Africa, India

The Nigerian e-passport is a passport that contains a micro-chip containing the biometric data of the passport holder. Last year, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) introduced the measure to curb the illegal use of passports and fraudulence, reports the BBC News.

This week, the NIS announced plans that it would be providing e-passport services in South Africa and India, reports Punch.  After successful trials in London and New York, the Service has decided e-passport systems need to be in place in more countries.

Comptroller-General of NIS, Chukwurah Udeh, told the news provider the program will eventually expand into 48 countries. “The service acknowledges that Nigerians are among the most travelled people in the world and our intention is to make it easy for Nigerians, wherever they find themselves, to conduct their passport and other services,” he said.

He added, South Africa is next on the list because of its leadership role in economics in that region, and its office will cover the whole of the Southern African region including Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

For all non-Nigerian nationals who are not from the Economic Community of West African States and wish to visit Nigeria for tourism and business purposes, a Nigerian Tourist Visa or Nigerian Business Visa is needed.

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The Worldwide Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in Nigerian visa and immigration services.

Article by Jessica Bird, Worldwide Visa Bureau.