The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has made state of origin certificate a compulsory requirement for passport renewal and fresh application.

Immigration made this known to the public in a post on its X handle on Saturday morning.

It said passport applicants do not necessarily need to go to their states of origin to get the “indigenship document”.

NIS added that it is aware that most states have liaison offices in other states.

“For example, Anambra state has liaison offices in Lagos (Eti-Osa) and Abuja (Asokoro),” NIS said.

According to Immigration, these liaison offices are empowered to issue such documents.

NIS said every document that the it requires from passport applicants to produce/submit/upload was carefully thought through.

It further stated that each document is backed by certain laws and policy documents.

“They are approved by the Federal Government through our supervising ministry – in this case, the Ministry of Interior,” Immigration said.

“It is quite important, especially based on certain intel that we have (but cannot disclose publicly), that ANYONE, a Nigerian of course, who wishes to obtain a Nigerian passport – a document of authority for identification and travel – MUST prove beyond reasonable doubt, that he/she is a Nigerian citizen.”

NIS stated that for one’s claim of being a Nigerian citizen to hold water, there has to be a document that “ties” an individual to a local government (indigenous area) within the country.

This document is what NIS requests that an applicant presents to them, amongst others, to authenticate one’s claim of being a citizen.

Immigration has urged passport applicants to read up the particular part of the Nigerian Constitution that bothers on citizenship.

The basic requirements for first-time passport applicants are as follows: completed passport application form, a recent passport-style photograph and a copy of your National Identification Number (NIN).

Others requirement include a copy of applicant’s birth certificate, letter of consent from your parents or guardian and payment of N5,000 for the passport application fee.

The requirements for renewal passport applicants are as follows: completed passport application form, a recent passport-style photograph, a copy of old passport and payment of N2,000 for the passport application fee.