Following a widely shared tweet by user Ijeoma, who voiced her annoyance at purported demands for her husband’s identification during the passport renewal procedure, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has clarified its policy regarding passport renewal for married Nigerian women.
Ijeoma questioned the purported policy in her tweet, posing the question of how such regulations would endanger the safety and autonomy of women.
“Hello @nigimmigration, may I ask why a married Nigerian woman must attach her husband’s passport page or identification before she can renew her passport?” Ijeoma wrote. Are you actually adhering to this new policy? Is everything all right? Is this the official policy?
“Why must a lady tie her husband’s identity to her own before she can renew her passport when you already require documentation from the local government and population office? Every day, our nation seeks to discredit the presence of women. We are also human.
Even as she navigated a divorce, Ijeoma wondered why identification documents like her birth certificate and National Identification Number (NIN) would be considered insufficient for passport renewal without her husband’s paperwork.
“I have a birth certificate that proves who I am,” she continued. Since my old passport bears my marital name, I must attach my husband’s passport page or identification proof even though the information on my NIN proves my identity. Suppose I get divorced? I’m no longer Nigerian, then?
In response to Ijeoma’s tweet, well-known Nigerian YouTube video producer Yemisi Odusanya, commonly known as SisiYemmie, stated, “I wanted to renew my passport and that’s what I was told… just yesterday.” I got duped.
In response, the NIS made it clear in an official tweet that a married Nigerian woman does not need to include her husband’s passport page or identification documents while renewing her passport.
“Remember that a married Nigerian woman can renew her passport without having to provide her husband’s passport page or identification documents. NIS wrote, “This is not an official policy.”
The process of renewing a Nigerian international passport is still dependent on the person’s identifying documents. Any assertions to the contrary are untrue.
NIS noted that passport renewal processes are based on individual identity documents such as the applicant’s National Identification Number (NIN), birth certificate, and local government certificate of origin.
NIS did, however, list scenarios where a married woman is required to provide the international passport data page/NIN of her husband.
Only two of the four circumstances need a married woman to present her husband’s international passport data page or NIN.
“For Data Change (Due to Marriage):”A Nigerian female with an existing passport who intends to obtain a new passport with the new surname of her husband (upon marriage), needs to get amongst other things, the following documents:
“Newspaper publication of change of name due to marriage
– Wife’s Passport Datapage
– Marriage certificate
– Husband’s passport data page/ or NIN slip
– NIN Slip
– Local government certificate of origin
– Birth Certificate/ Declaration of Age
“For Change of Data (Due to Divorce)
Amongst other documents, a divorced woman should present in reverting to her maiden name, are:
– Decree Absolute
– International passport Datapage
– Newspaper publication to that effect
– NIN Slip
– Local government of origin certificate
– Birth Certificate/ Declaration of Age
“For parents wanting to obtain international passports for their children, amongst the documents required include:
– consent letter countersigned by parent(s)
– International passport data page of parent(s)
– NIN Slip
– Local government certificate of origin
– Birth Certificate/ Declaration of Age
“For renewal for married women who are not changing name, required documents includes:
– Expired international passport data page
– NIN Slip
– Local government certificate of origin
– Birth Certificate/ Declaration of Age”
NIS added, “Kindly be informed that each passport application has defined requirements regarding the type and number of documents that applicants are required to submit.
“We encourage you to verify all information directly with the Nigeria Immigration Service via official channels to avoid any confusion or misinformation. Check the FAQs/SLA Tabs on http://immigration.gov.ng for guidance.”
