On an almost weekly basis, we keep hearing that our supposed Interior Minister repeatedly issues decrees to simplify the ease of obtaining a passport, but for where? Nigerians in passport offices continue to act as stumbling blocks. They take profit in making a simple process as painful as possible, just to frustrate you into financially settling for assistance

This complaint is about the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C. where I had applied for a passport renewal almost a year ago.

I applied for this renewal on June 11th 2023, and captured October 23rd 2023.

After completing the biometrics, they assured me that the passport will be received in the mail within 3 months.

We are now wrapping up six months post capture with no passport received.

I have tried to call them more than a hundred times over this period, but everything goes straight to voicemail. I have also sent numerous emails with no response whatsoever.

Why this is really painful is that:

The terms of the passport application highlight that if you do not get your passport issued within one year from application date, your application will be canceled and you have to start all over.

Starting over means spending more money on flight and hotel reservations, including having to go through the difficulty of scheduling another interview, which can take months.

How is this not a scam? How is it a person’s fault that the embassy did not complete the passport process. Who should be liable for the new cost of application especially as it is the Embassy that has defaulted in getting the passport ready?

If anyone from the Nigerian Embassy in DC is reading this, please consider this an honest appeal to do your jobs so people are not stranded. A travel passport should be the least of our worries in this age and time.

Please I would also need input and support from any other Nigerians who have renewed their passports through the DC office.


cc: DisGuy, justwise

The terms of the passport application highlight that if you do not get your passport issued within one year from application date, your application will be canceled and you have to start all over.

Sound rather scammish to me. All they need to do to scam your money is not issue your passport in a year! If I were to exaggerate, it would be like the mechanic claiming your car would be impounded if they don't fix it in a week.

Get us the ministers email address, so we can all send him a link to this please with heading "Is The Nigerian Embassy In Washington DC Scamming Nigerians? Add emails of others of others who might question this for us too.

Something might be done about it if we inundate them and make it an issue.

budaatum:


Sound rather scammish to me. All they need to do to scam your money is not issue your passport in a year! If I were to exaggerate, it would be like the mechanic claiming your car would be impounded if they don't fix it in a week.

Get us the ministers email address, so we can all send him a link to this please with heading "Is The Nigerian Embassy In Washington DC Scamming Nigerians? Add emails of others of others who might question this for us too.

Something might be done about it if we inundate them and make it an issue.

Thanks for your concern, I have found and sent messages to the following email addresses below.

nis.servicom@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng

oa@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng

cis-evisa@immigration.gov.ng

expiredppt@immigration.gov.ng

info@foreignaffairs.gov.ng


I am really hoping for a positive turnaround because I do not anticipate another trip down to DC.

MODS DISGUY and JUSTWISE please help me amplify my request.

Enonymous

One year is a long time to wait on a passport. Do you have a US passport? If you do, consider flying to Brasilia, Brazil to get it done. Same day service, with no extra charge.

Not sure what state you're in, but the cost of flights + DC hotel rates might be about the same as the cost of a flight + hotel in Brasilia. Except with Brasilia, you can book an appointment for tomorrow, get the passport in a few hours and go home.

I did a renewal in Brasilia last year. I wrote about it here. Check my profile.