UK Passport Intervention: Nigeria High Commission Announces £50 Refund

The Nigeria High Commission in the United Kingdom has announced that applicants affected by the £70 administrative fee charged during the ongoing passport intervention will receive £50 refunds.

The Commission has reduced the administrative charge to £20, meaning applicants who already paid £70 will receive the £50 difference.

The decision follows controversy surrounding the fee and scrutiny from Nigerians participating in the passport intervention.

The High Commission published the refund announcement on Friday, September 11.

The passport intervention exercise is being conducted in London and Manchester and is aimed at providing passport services to Nigerians living in the United Kingdom.

The dispute over the administrative charge emerged after applicants were required to pay £70, while the administrative fee for a previous intervention had been fixed at £20.

The controversy prompted protests from Nigerians and attracted the attention of Nigerian authorities.

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo said he was concerned about the inconvenience surrounding the exercise and stated that applicants were not required to pay separate administrative fees.

The Nigeria Immigration Service subsequently clarified the applicable charges.

According to the NIS, the official passport fees remain $162 for a five-year validity passport and $242 for a 10-year validity passport.

The immigration service also said there were no additional charges required for participation in the intervention exercise.

The clarification came while the special passport exercise was underway in London and Manchester.

Despite initial challenges, the NIS said the exercise was progressing smoothly at both centres.

The agency reported that 1,477 Nigerians had been successfully processed and enrolled within the first four days.

The NIS also said more than half of the applicants enrolled had already had their passports produced and dispatched to their respective addresses.

The demand for the service led to an extension of the intervention.

According to the NIS, Minister Tunji-Ojo approved an extension of the London and Manchester exercise from September 19 to October 3.

Further details about the extended dates, locations and appointment procedures were expected to be communicated through the official channels of the immigration service and the High Commission.

The latest refund arrangement means applicants who previously paid £70 will ultimately bear the revised £20 administrative charge.

The £50 refund therefore represents the difference between the amount initially collected and the reduced charge.

For applicants who had already completed payment, the announcement provides a clearer position on the disputed fee.

It also follows the government’s wider clarification that applicants should not be required to pay additional charges to participate in the special intervention.

Nigerians seeking further information about the exercise have been advised to rely on official announcements from the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria High Commission.

The refund is now the latest development in the controversy surrounding the passport intervention in the United Kingdom.