Nigerian High Commission London: Confirms £70 Passport Fee Refund

• The Nigerian High Commission in London confirmed that a £70 administrative fee for passport services was unauthorized by the Federal Government.
• Applicants who paid the £70 fee will receive a £50 refund, establishing the correct administrative charge as £20.
• Both the Federal Government and the Nigeria Immigration Service reiterated that only official passport fees and bank charges are approved.
• The passport intervention exercise in London and Manchester was extended to October 3rd due to high applicant turnout.
• The High Commission advised the public to rely only on information from its authorized channels amidst complaints about service and charges.

The incident highlights the critical importance of transparency and adherence to official guidelines for Nigerian citizens abroad seeking essential services.

The Nigerian High Commission in London has confirmed that an administrative fee of £70, previously collected from some passport applicants during an ongoing intervention exercise, was not sanctioned by the Federal Government. This clarification follows an earlier announcement by the mission stating that individuals who paid the higher amount would receive a £50 refund, effectively bringing the charge down to the approved standard administrative fee of £20. The High Commission issued a public notice on September 11th, addressing circulating reports and commentaries regarding the London Nigerian passport intervention charges, some of which it deemed inaccurate.

The mission explicitly stated that any assertions suggesting presidential approval for a £70 administrative fee are incorrect. It reiterated that the official, approved administrative charge for these services remains £20. However, the High Commission’s statement did not provide an explanation for how the unauthorized £70 charge came to be applied to applicants in the first place.

The controversy surrounding the administrative fee also prompted responses from higher authorities. On September 8th, the Federal Government publicly denied introducing any additional charges for the passport intervention exercise, clarifying that applicants were only required to cover official passport fees along with any applicable bank charges. This position was echoed by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), which on September 11th, reaffirmed that no extra fees were mandated for participation in the intervention program.

Both the Ministry of Interior and the NIS confirmed that they had not implemented any charges beyond the officially approved passport fees. These statements underscored the discrepancy between the Nigeria High Commission UK £70 fee collected and the established governmental policy, reinforcing the official stance that the £20 administrative fee is the only legitimate charge beyond the passport cost itself.

The passport intervention exercise, initially slated to conclude on September 19th, has been extended until October 3rd in both London and Manchester. This extension was necessitated by a significant turnout of applicants seeking passport services. Within the first four days of the exercise, 1,477 Nigerian citizens were successfully processed and enrolled, with more than half of the requested passports already produced and dispatched to their respective applicants.

Despite the operational progress, the exercise has been accompanied by a wave of complaints from Nigerians residing in the UK. These grievances primarily concern difficulties in passport processing, the charges levied, and broader operational challenges, including reported delays and poor communication channels with the High Commission. In response to what it termed inaccurate or misleading information circulating, the High Commission has distanced itself from such publications, advising the public to rely solely on information disseminated through its authorized channels. The mission affirmed its commitment to delivering efficient public services.

The incident highlights the critical importance of transparency and adherence to official guidelines for Nigerian citizens abroad seeking essential services. The clear distinction between the unapproved £70 fee and the legitimate £20 NIS passport administrative fee UK serves as a reminder for the diaspora to verify all fees through official government and mission channels. This situation, coupled with ongoing complaints about service delivery, underscores the need for consistent communication and accountability from diplomatic missions.

For Nigerians in the UK, understanding the correct fee structure, such as the official £20 administrative charge for passport services, is crucial to avoid exploitation by unofficial charges.

Lawyers advising Nigerian diaspora clients in the UK should be aware of the official £20 administrative fee for passport services and the refund process for unauthorized overcharges. This ensures clients are not exploited by unofficial fees and can be guided on verifying legitimate charges directly from the Nigerian High Commission's authorized channels.

Source: Original reporting via The PUNCH