FG clears Nigerians with expired passports to return home, directs airlines, missions to comply
Federal Government has cleared Nigerians living abroad with expired passports to return home, according to a notice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) as cited by Oracle Today newspapers, Saturday.
The notice dated December 22, was also copied all airlines operating into the country, as well as, all Head of Missions, Immigration Attaches, all International airport comptrollers of the NIS, all Entry and Exit points in the country, and signed by Mr. M.C Dike, the Assistant Comptroller General for the Comptroller General of Immigration, Mrs Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju.
The notice titled; ‘Authority to Board/Admit Nigerians with Expired Passports,’ also directed international airlines operating into the country to allow the expired passport holders to ‘board without let,’
According to the NIS notice, the Federal Government’s decision to allow Nigerian holders of expired passports to be admitted into the country is ‘in her efforts to make life easy for Nigerians in diaspora.
According to the NIS, the Federal Government further directed it ‘to open a help desk for all Nigerians in this category and directed same to passport offices where their passports will be reissued within a maximum of two (2) weeks.’
“I am directed to inform you the Federal Government of Nigeria in her efforts to make life easy for Nigerians in diaspora has approved that all Nigerians returning home can be admitted into the country with their expired passports.
“I am further directed to inform airlines coming into Nigeria to allow holders of Nigerian expired passports to board without let.
“In furtherance to the foregoing, all Nigerian Embassies and High Commissions are advised to give this directive the highest publicity it deserves.
“Consequent upon the above, all entry/exit points are by the copy of this letter directed to open a help desk for all Nigerians in this category and directed same to passport offices where their passports will be reissued within a maximum of two (2) weeks,” the NIS notice to the Foreign Affairs ministry read in part.
