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International passport fee in Nigeria 2026: N100,000 or N200,000, and which suits a work move

Tips · 2026-10-15 · 9 min read

The international passport fee in Nigeria in 2026 is N100,000 for a 32-page booklet valid for 5 years, or N200,000 for a 64-page booklet valid for 10 years, and bank charges come on top. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) gives 42 days after successful enrolment for a fresh passport, so start before you chase a job offer in Australia or New Zealand, not after. For a work move that may last several years, the 64-page booklet is usually the smarter buy.

Passport fees for 2026 in one table

The figures below come from the NIS 2026 service level agreement. The naira prices took effect on September 1, 2025, after the service announced the fee review on August 28, 2025, and they are the prices listed for 2026.

The words "exclusive of bank charges" matter. Whatever your bank adds to the payment sits on top of the listed fee, so do not budget to the exact naira.

The agreement prints the dollar figures beside the naira prices. If you are applying from outside Nigeria, ask the mission handling your application which amount and which payment method apply to you before you pay anything.

32 pages or 64 pages when you plan to work abroad

Run the numbers first. Divide each fee by its years of validity and both booklets come to N20,000 a year. The 64-page passport is not more expensive over its life; it simply asks for more money on the day you pay.

The real difference is cover. The Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482) lets you work in Australia for your sponsor for up to 4 years. In New Zealand, total time on one or more Accredited Employer Work Visas can reach 5 years for most jobs, or 3 years for jobs at ANZSCO skill level 4 or 5.

Now picture a 5-year passport issued this year. The job search, the employer's paperwork, the visa decision and your flight can eat into that validity before you even land, and the rest may not see you through the visa. You would then be renewing through a Nigerian mission abroad while settling into a new job.

The 32-page booklet still has a place. If N200,000 is out of reach this month and waiting would delay your application, apply for the cheaper one now. A valid passport today is worth more than the ideal passport later, because the rest of your japa folder depends on it.

Documents for a fresh standard passport

The NIS service level agreement lists four documents for a fresh standard passport application:

• your NIN slip (NIN is your National Identification Number);
• a birth certificate, or a declaration of age sworn at a High Court;
• a Local Government or indigene certificate;
• an ICAO-compliant passport photograph.

You must also turn up in person for your photograph and biometric capture. Treat it like an interview: plan the day off work, the transport and enough time for a queue.

Before enrolment, lay the NIN slip, birth certificate and indigene certificate side by side. Your surname, first name, middle name and date of birth should be spelt identically on each one. The passport becomes the master record that your police certificate, your visa application and your employer's contract abroad will all copy.

Renewing a passport you already hold

The fees above are the standard passport fees. The document list and the 42-day timeline in the agreement are stated for fresh applications and changes of data, so if you are renewing, confirm the renewal requirements on the NIS website before you book an appointment or pay.

Why the 42-day wait should start before anything else

The NIS agreement gives 42 days after successful enrolment for a fresh standard passport or a change of data. The count runs from enrolment, not from the day you fill in a form, so getting an early enrolment date is the single biggest thing you control.

Your passport is not only for the flight. The Nigeria Police Force asks for the biodata page of a valid international passport when you apply for a Police Character Certificate, and Australia's Department of Home Affairs lists the passport biodata page among the items Nigerian citizens provide for that certificate. No passport, no police certificate.

There is also a timing trap on the other side. Police certificates for Australian visas are valid for 12 months from the issue date, and health examination results for the subclass 482 visa are generally valid for 12 months. Get the passport early, then time the police certificate and your visa medical at an approved clinic closer to when you lodge.

For everything else that goes into the folder, from school result checks to document authentication, use our japa documents checklist for Australia. This guide stays on the passport.

How to get your international passport, in order

1. Check that your names and date of birth match across your NIN slip, your birth certificate (or High Court declaration of age) and your indigene certificate.
2. Choose your booklet: 64 pages and 10 years for a work plan of several years, or 32 pages and 5 years if the budget leaves no choice.
3. Pay the official fee through the NIS process and keep the receipt, allowing for bank charges on top of N100,000 or N200,000.
4. Prepare an ICAO-compliant passport photograph.
5. Attend enrolment in person for your photograph and biometric capture.
6. Use the 42 days after enrolment well: polish your English CV, and prepare for an English test (IELTS or PTE) if the visa or employer asks for one.
7. When the passport arrives, check every detail on the biodata page, then apply for your Police Character Certificate on POSSAP.

Applying from Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere

Nigerians in the diaspora submit passport applications at the nearest Nigeria Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. Check which mission covers the city you live in and what it asks for before you travel there.

If you end up working in New Zealand, know where your mission is. The Nigerian High Commission accredited to New Zealand is at 26 Guilfoyle Street, Yarralumla, in Australia. That distance alone is a good reason to leave Lagos, Abuja or Port Harcourt with a passport that has plenty of years left on it.

Keep your passport out of the wrong hands

Your passport and its biodata page are exactly what fraudsters want. Australia's Scamwatch advice on job scams says never send your passport or identity documents to an employer or recruitment firm unless you are certain they are genuine.

The EFCC warns that visa scammers claim connections at embassies, demand repeated fees and may issue fake visas that lead to arrest at exit or entry ports. Home Affairs says ImmiAccount is the only official website for applying for an Australian visa, and a visa grant you cannot find in VEVO is probably fake.

Before an agency sees even a photocopy of your passport, check that the recruitment agency holds an international placement licence. The EFCC's line is simple: no credible employer demands pre-employment payments, for whatever reason.

Common mistakes Nigerians make with the international passport

• Waiting for the job offer before applying. With 42 days after enrolment, a late start can push back the police certificate, the visa and your start date.
• Buying a 5-year booklet for a plan of several years. A 482 visa can run for up to 4 years, so a passport that is already a year old may not last the stay.
• Enrolling with names that do not match. Fixing it later is a change-of-data application, and the agreement gives that the same 42 days.
• Budgeting only the headline fee. The listed fees exclude bank charges.
• Getting the police certificate too early. For Australian visas it is valid for 12 months from issue, so a certificate from long before you lodge may need replacing.
• Sending passport scans to anyone who asks. Share them only with an employer or recruiter you have confirmed is genuine.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the international passport fee in Nigeria in 2026?

The Nigeria Immigration Service lists N100,000 for a 32-page passport valid for 5 years and N200,000 for a 64-page passport valid for 10 years, with bank charges on top. These naira fees have applied since September 1, 2025. The 2026 service level agreement also shows dollar figures of $150 and $230 for the same two booklets.

How long does a Nigerian passport take to process?

The NIS 2026 service level agreement gives 42 days after successful enrolment for a fresh standard passport or a change of data. The count runs from enrolment, when your photograph and biometrics are captured, so book that appointment as early as you can.

What documents do I need for a fresh Nigerian passport?

You need your NIN slip, a birth certificate or a declaration of age from a High Court, a Local Government or indigene certificate and an ICAO-compliant passport photograph. You must also attend in person for photograph and biometric capture.

Should I get the 32-page or 64-page passport for a work visa?

For most work moves the 64-page, 10-year booklet is the safer pick. A subclass 482 visa can run for up to 4 years and AEWV time can reach 5 years, so a 5-year passport may expire while you are abroad. Per year of validity, both booklets cost the same N20,000.

Can I apply for a Nigerian passport while living in Australia or New Zealand?

Yes. Nigerians in the diaspora submit passport applications at the nearest Nigeria Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. For people in New Zealand, the Nigerian High Commission accredited to New Zealand is at 26 Guilfoyle Street, Yarralumla, in Australia, so check its requirements well before your passport runs out.

Key takeaways

• The 2026 fees are N100,000 (32 pages, 5 years) or N200,000 (64 pages, 10 years), plus bank charges.
• Both booklets cost N20,000 per year of validity; the 64-page one usually suits a work move better.
• Expect 42 days after successful enrolment, and enrol in person with your NIN slip, birth certificate and indigene certificate.
• Get the passport first: the Police Character Certificate needs its biodata page.
• Never send passport copies to an agency or employer you have not checked.

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