The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has extended its Special Passport Intervention Exercise in the United Kingdom to October 30, 2026, following sustained demand and high turnout from Nigerians seeking passport services.
The latest extension comes after the Service had earlier moved the deadline to October 3. The new extension was announced on Friday by Akinsola Akinlabi, NIS Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCI).
According to Akinlabi, the extension was approved following a directive from the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to accommodate more Nigerians requiring passport renewal services.
The intervention exercise will now run from October 6 to October 30 at designated centres across the UK.
The centres include 56–57 Fleet Street, Temple, London; Nigerian House, 23 Platt Lane, Manchester; and Hilton Convention Centre, 13 Smithfield Road, Aberdeen.
The NIS said details of the Cardiff venue would be announced later and advised applicants to monitor the Nigeria High Commission’s website and official NIS communication channels for updates.
Akinlabi urged Nigerians in the UK who need passport renewal services to take advantage of the extension and book appointments ahead of time.
Applicants can book through the designated online appointment platform or via the Nigeria High Commission’s website. The Service also advised applicants to adhere strictly to their scheduled dates and times to reduce delays and ensure an orderly process.
The NIS also reiterated that its Contactless Passport Application System remains available to eligible Nigerians, allowing them to renew their passports remotely without visiting a Nigerian embassy, high commission or consulate.
For the intervention exercise, applicants are required to present a completed application form, proof of payment, an intervention appointment printout and a self-addressed return envelope.
The Service said cash payments would not be accepted at the intervention centres. Applicants seeking passport renewal must also present their current passports.
The latest extension follows growing demand for the temporary passport service. The NIS had previously expanded its London and Manchester intervention centres to cope with the number of applicants.
The London operation also experienced a disruption after the Nigeria High Commission cited “unforeseen technical challenges” and moved the exercise from the original Liyali Lounge venue to Fleet Street, Temple. Reports indicated that some applicants were asked to leave the initial venue, although the High Commission did not provide further details.
The NIS Abuja Passport Intervention Team was deployed to support the exercise, which was initially scheduled to run in London and Manchester from September 7 to 19, followed by Aberdeen and Cardiff from September 21 to 26.
The intervention programme was introduced to bring passport services closer to Nigerians living in the UK through temporary service centres established in different cities.
