As Nigerians who recently moved to Canada, juggling the intricacies of life in a new country can be overwhelming. From trying to decipher unfamiliar tax codes to rental agreements, it isn't unlikely that we fall short of prioritizing crucial tasks like renewing our Nigerian passports.

According to BusinessDay Nigeria, As of June 2023, over 10,000 Nigerians had already renewed their Nigerian passports in Canada. This date implies a growing population of Nigerians in Canada, and scheduling a passport renewal appointment in Canada might become more challenging with time.

In this blog article, we'll provide a step-by-step guide to renewing your Nigerian passport in Canada, addressing common concerns about the process and providing valuable insights to ensure a smooth and successful passport renewal experience.

A Step-by-step Guide to Renewing Your Nigerian Passport in Canada

To renew your Nigerian passport in Canada, you must follow these steps:

Complete the online application.

• Visit the new official Nigerian Immigration Service website.
• Afterwards, you will be  provided with  two options: tap on "applying from outside Nigeria." 
• Choose "apply" for passport renewal in the passport section.
• Login using your Google, Yahoo, or OpenID. If you do not have one, sign up
• Select 'Standard E-passport' and choose the processing country, Canada, to start the online application form.
• Select the Processing Embassy in Canada(Ottawa).
• Complete the online form and ensure you print out a copy of the completed application before you are directed to make payment.
• Upon submission, you will be provided with a reference number and an application ID.
• You may visit the Nigerian High Commission Ottawa website for more information regarding specific passport requests or renewal issues.   

Make your payment online.

The cost of renewing a Nigerian passport in Canada depends on the number of pages and the applicant's age. You can pay the fee online using your credit/debit card. Money order payments of these fees are only acceptable if sent directly to the Nigerian Immigration Service Headquarters in Abuja. After payment, print the payment receipt (confirmation) slip. An additional administrative fee of $50 can only be paid during your appointment as a money order. Ensure the money order is payable to the "Nigeria High Commission, Ottawa."

The table below shows the current prices applicable to each age category:

In the case of a lost passport, you have to pay $400 to the Nigerian High Commission.

Schedule an appointment.

After completing the online application and making payment, the next step is to schedule your appointment with the Nigerian Embassy in Ottawa. To do so, you should do the following:

• Since the appointment calendar is no longer available on the Nigerian High Commission Ottawa website, you will need to visit the appointment page on the Nigerian Immigration Service website.
• You will be requested to fill in your Application ID and reference number.
• You will be directed to the "appointment slot" page.
• Choose your preferred date and time for your appointment.
• Select the Ottawa location.
• Check the appointment availability calendar to ensure your chosen slot is open. Ensure your appointment date doesn't clash with a Nigerian national holiday.
• Submit and print the Appointment (confirmation) slip.

Since only one Commission offers passport renewal services and the population of Nigerians in Canada is growing, finding slots available less than a month away has become quite challenging. It is advisable to schedule your appointment 2 years before your passport expires. 

Attend your appointment.

The first thing you need to do is to ensure you have all your required documents prepared before your appointment date. The documents needed for Nigerian passport renewal in Canada include:

• 2 copies of your passport photographs.
• Copies of the printed online application form.
• Copies of the printed passport acknowledgement slip.
• Copies of the printed payment confirmation slip.
• Current/expired Nigerian passport.
• A self-addressed pre-paid envelope.
• $50 Administrative fee.
• National Identification Number (NIN) slip.
• Printed Appointment confirmation slip.

The hours for passport renewal appointments at the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa are 9.30am- 2.30pm. You must be physically present at the Nigerian High Commission, at 295 METCALFE STREET, Ottawa Ontario,  K2P1R9  on the day of your appointment. 

Additional Tips To Renew Your Nigerian Passport In Canada

• If your NIN is ruled as outdated and needs an update, you may not be approved at the appointment for a passport renewal.
• Your NIN needs an update if it was generated with your BVN.
• To confirm if you need an update, you can visit an authorised NIMC enrollment centre in Canada, or you can put a call to the NIMC Contact Center in Nigeria (+234-803-060-7000 or +234-803-462-1000)

Calling an official Nigerian number from a foreign country might be a little bit trickier, for an effective experience, you should readthis article on how to call Nigeria from Canada.

Wrapping Up.

Regardless of how challenging renewing your Nigerian passport in Canada might seem because of how much longer it takes to book appointments, it shouldn't be more difficult than it would be in any other country. We aim to provide the necessary support to make the renewal experience as smooth as possible for every Nigerian, in every country, so if you need information about how to renew your Nigerian passport in any country, visit our blog.

If you’d like to send money from Canada to anywhere in the world and you prefer fast transfers at great rates, we recommend the OhentPay money transfer service. Create an account to get started here.

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