President Goodluck Jonathan has inaugurated a new 64-page international travel passport on Wednesday morning before the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting inside the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja.
The new e-passport according to the President gives frequent travelers more pages for visas having been increased from 32 to 64 pages.
Frequent travelers often request new passports because of the limited number of pages for visas and border control stamps. The passport will be available to frequent travellers and businessmen for N20, 000 from Friday, August 01, 2014.
The e-Passport for those below 18 years will cost N8,750, while those from18-60 years will pay N15,000 for the e-passport. Those aged 60 years and above will pay N8,750 for the passport. Change of data or of loss of passport will attract N20,000.
Change of name as a result of marriage, divorce and deceased spouse will cost N8,750, while change of data on request will attract a processing fee of N30,000.
Giving the advantages of the new 64 page e-passport, the Minister noted that it will enhance the integrity of the Nigerian travel document, it takes care of low income earners and the aged, it accommodates frequent travellers, forestalls identity theft and conforms with international best practices.
The Comptroller General, Nigerian Immigration Service, David Paradang, explained after the launch that the 64 page e-passport is a special demand for only frequent travellers while the thirty two page e-passport is the normal passport. He noted that the high cost for those who want to change data is to avoid fraudulent demands, adding that the expiry date for the new passport will remain five years and those whose passport are about to expire can begin to apply for the new e-passport by August 1st.
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