Nigeria Immigration Service. Avis 

Extremely disappointing service from the Nigerian Immigration Service in the UK.

I applied for my passport renewal on 22 July, and since then I have been trying repeatedly to contact them for an update. I have called countless times, but no one answers. I have also sent emails, but I have received no response or even an acknowledgement.

I have followed the process, submitted my old passport and provided everything that was requested, yet there has been no meaningful communication about the progress of my application.

I completely understand that processing applications takes time, and I am not expecting an immediate passport. However, the complete lack of communication and customer service is unacceptable. If applicants are expected to follow the process and provide everything requested, the least they deserve is a response, an acknowledgement, or some form of update.

Honestly, this has been one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever had in the UK. I never expected the service to be this difficult, especially when you cannot get through by phone or receive a response by email.

The Nigerian Immigration Service in the UK seriously needs to improve its communication and customer service. This is extremely frustrating and disappointing.

I am a Nigerian Passport holder and I applied for eVisas for my Hungarian Husband and Hungarian/ German /(Nigerian) Kids. One of my Kids holds a Hungarian Passport, the other German.
I applied 3 months before our intended Travel dates.
My husband‘s Visa was approved immediately but the Visa Validity also started immediately and ends on the 2nd day of Arrival. Mind you the approval letter states that Entry must be within Validity Period and not Entry and Exit . According to NIS customer‘s service Hotline Both Entry and Exit must be within the Validity Period.
My Kids Visas were delayed, one of which was denied without an official reason but If I‘m guessing it is because his father is holds a hungarian Passport and he holds a german one.
How do 3 people who apply at the same time get 3 different Outcomes from the same NIgerian Immigration Services?
And the Customer‘s Service? Terrible? You call nonstop without a reply and when you finally do, they ask you to send an SMS. The next time you call it starts from the beginning .
In the Emails, you receive the same vague reply about 90 days validity and 30 days stay

Clearly all the electronic Services of the Nigerian Immigration does work. Hold. They need to hold themselves accountable and fix it

I renewed my passport at NIS Madrid and I was very impressed by the manner and professionalism they attended to me and my kids.
Mr Ayo and his staff were very helpful and kind. They helped us to navigate some of the challenges we had initially online. It took exactly 2 weeks to receive our passport at our house in Lisbon Portugal.
For this I highly recommend. Thank you

January 2026: Passport expires in July 2026. Applied online and uploaded various docs. Paid $230 for 10yr and 90pager variant. Loading online biometrics was a challenge as app was not intuitive to use. Some might argue not a high value passport so why impose such hardship and bottleneck for what other countries execute so seamlessly. Why choose to inflict so much pain and agony on your UK based citizens. Makes me wonder if any research or benchmarking went into this App.

It turns out I cannot apply online as I am over 60yrs old. Apparently, only 18-60yr olds can apply for the full no-visit online option. If over 60, then you much come in physically. So, as you age gracefully, just pray you are able to lift yourself, jump in a cab, be able to take a train or bus and then attend. Perhaps, it is the same way other countries treat their elderly citizens. Why do the British and US etc models works and our appears to fall flat on its face?

Anyway, completed application online and was given a date in June - 4 months later!! Waited patiently whilst also prayed fervently that nothing will happen to my aged 94 year old mother back in Nigeria. On 1st June 2026, shockingly, I received an email, advising that my application has now been approved and I should proceed to book my appointment. What!! But I completed all that in Fen 2026 and I have my appointment date tomorrow. What are you guys talking about? Lol!!

The visit: So I jump on the train (2hrs) and take all my documents with me. Appointment for 11am buy arrived 10.45am. Collected tag number at entrance from Usher and proceeded to the basement. Now here is the kicker, your phone is collected at you arrive, placed in a pouch and then you will be given the pouch number. Why? Why are you collecting phones? Do you have anything to hide? Sometimes, negative publicity aids improvements for a country (embassy) willing to listen and improve.

Note this, throughout your stay there, you will not have access to your phones. There are not light refreshments other than a decrypt venting machine, which only works after 'prayers are said to it'...Lol!!

Conclusions: Nigeria is afraid to fully automate this NIS service properly, having not being in a position to appreciate its efficiencies. I guess by employing people with basic education (WAEC at best), who routinely do "the same thing" along the process determination chain, speaks volumes on how poorly paid staff are, and how much waste still exists in Nigeria.

Oh, nearly forgot! Yes, there is the matter of the £20 postal order. What the heck is this for? So after paying $230 for my passport which is for everything (as I would have when applying for my British Passport), I still need to pay you and extra £20 just so you do your job more 'administratively' and effectively. Just goes to show how far we have come as a country and how we pathetically guise and/or veil corruption in a new name. There can be no credible and logical justification for the collection of a £20 postal order....period!!

Finally, whilst I doubt it, I do sincerely hope NIS decision makes read this piece and make the changes needed to make this process hugely intuitive and seamless. My cynic side doubts it though but then, it wont come as much of a surprise. It's Nigeria innit!!

Sokii

United Kingdom passport application I have never seen a worse service. Geezz, it does not just work, if there was a minus 1 star, that's what I would have given. For more than 2 weeks, I keep filling out passport application and when it gets to the end, instead of taking me to the payment section, it goes back to the beginning.

The Nigeria embassy is Madrid is now super good,great service render from the entrance, one Mr Abiola to Mr Ayotunde.so professional and respectful, they make you feel at home and not expecting anything in return,quick delivery service of your passport .Good service Please keep it up

The NIMC is absolutely not helpful. Uploading documents is so frustrating, for over a week I have been struggling to upload just a single document. Taken hundreds of photos yet not working. The app is useless

The Evisa Nigeria system does not work properly; consequences? you pay around $258 online, try to upload all documents, but you cannot finalize the process. Then, you receive an email informing your visa is denied. Your nightmare starts at this point: many emails sent, contact by social media accounts, where nobody answer, even trying to call to Abuja, where telephone is disconnected. Do you want to try again? pay $258 extra and maybe, just maybe, you will get your visa back. This is my personal experience, that I can probe showing my emails if anyone is interested. Besides, you will find many forums and social media full of people explaining similar experience.

Big thanks to NIS Alimosho for the services rendered, was there for my childrens passport last week, from my experience the services was great big thanks to the DIS and her crew for the Swift intervention. Kuddo!!!

I would like to thank the Nigerian lady working there who intervened and helped me last week. She said I would get my visa before I flew and I did. without her ..... who knows . 5 star thank you

I am quite worried and appalled by NIS UK application process.
For God sake, I have made application and submitted my Passport Renewal and made all payments since 28th February 2025.
Till today 16th April 2025, I have not received my passport back since over 2months.

Please kindly send back my renewed passport as I believe this is taking too long.
Thank you.

Olutoyin Kehinde Bello-Ayoola

I applied for a tourist visa so I can travel to Nigeria to see my mum after ten years of not seeing her. Also, as I had not been to Nigeria for almost 40 years. I wanted to go back and see family.

At first, I applied for a passport in June 2024, but the nearest appointment for biometric is in November 2024. So, I decided to apply for a visa. I had to buy a plane ticket in order to apply. I was told I would get my documents back within 6 working days. We are now on day 8.

When I checked for updates, it says that the NHC had made a decision but doesn’t say what the decision is (whether the visa was approved or declined).

All I want is my British passport back please. Please am begging you. I am due to go away soon. Plus I need to apply for another visa for another country before I can travel.

Please NHC. Am begging you, may I have my British passport back soon please. It’s less than 17 days before I am due to travel. Thank you and I appreciate you

Below average service delivery in their passport office, Makurdi.
Processing times plunged from 1 working day to 3 weeks, 5 days.
How is that progress?
I am having to wait ages to collect my passport.
Check the litany of complaints on their twitter page if you'd like further proof.