No Embassy Visit Needed: My Smooth Nigerian Passport Renewal in the UK

How I Renewed My Nigerian Passport in the UK Without Travelling to London

As a Nigerian living in the UK, one of the biggest inconveniences has always been travelling to London just to renew a passport. The journey, cost, and long queues can be stressful. Thankfully, with the introduction of the NIS Contactless Passport System, I was able to renew my Nigerian passport entirely from Cardiff, without visiting the Nigerian High Commission in London.

Here’s exactly how I did it, how much it cost, and all the requirements you need to know before starting.

1. Downloading and Registering on the NIS App

The first step was downloading the NIS Mobile App, creating my profile, and choosing “Applying Outside Nigeria.”

From there, I entered my NIN and filled in all my personal information such as my passport number, date of birth, address, and other necessary details.

The app guides you through everything, and once your details match your NIN records, you can move to the next stage.

2. Uploading Required Documents

After completing my personal information, I uploaded the required documents, which included:
    •    My birth certificate
    •    The data page of my old passport
    •    Any additional documents requested by the app

The uploads were straightforward once I had clear scanned copies ready.

3. The Passport Photo Challenge — Read This Carefully

This part almost frustrated me.

I originally planned to take my passport photo using my phone, but the app kept rejecting it because Nigerian passport photos have very strict requirements.

Here are the important details:
    •    Size must be 35mm × 45mm
    •    Background must be plain white
    •    The face should occupy a large portion of the frame
    •    No shadows, filters, reflections, or phone-camera distortions
    •    Neutral expression, looking straight into the camera

Because of this, I ended up going to a professional photo studio. Once I took a proper Nigerian passport-sized photo that met all these requirements, the app finally accepted it.

If you’re applying, I strongly recommend doing the same — it saves time and stress.

4. Contactless Biometrics From Home

This is the feature that made everything possible.

After uploading my documents and photo, I used the contactless biometric capture option in the app. This allowed me to submit:
    •    Fingerprint scans
    •    Facial capture

I did everything from my phone at home. Good lighting really helped — the scans were accepted on the first attempt.

5. Payments

Once my biometrics were completed, I made my payments directly through the app:
    •    $230 for a 10-year passport
    •    $100 for the contactless biometric service

Total cost: $330

Although it’s pricey, the convenience of not travelling to London made it worth it for me.

6. Posting My Old Passport and Supporting Documents

Even though the process is mostly digital, you still need to send your documents physically to the Nigerian High Commission in London.

Here’s what I packaged:
    1.    My old passport
    2.    Printed application form and payment receipt
    3.    A £20 postal order, addressed to “Nigeria High Commission, London”
    •    I wrote my name and phone number at the back
    4.    A Royal Mail C4 Special Delivery self-addressed envelope for them to return my new passport
    5.    All documents placed neatly inside another C4 Special Delivery envelope

These must be posted to:

Nigeria High Commission
9 Northumberland Avenue
London
WC2N 5BX

Make sure you keep your tracking number.

7. Waiting for the Passport to Be Vetted

After sending my documents, I monitored the status of my application on the app. Once it changed to “vetted,” I simply waited for Royal Mail to deliver my new passport using the self-addressed envelope I provided.

Final Thoughts

Renewing my Nigerian passport from Cardiff, without stepping foot in London, was incredibly convenient. The NIS contactless system saved me travel time, transport cost, and long queues.

If you’re about to renew your passport in the UK, here are my main tips:
    •    Take your passport photo at a professional studio
    •    Make sure your NIN details are correct
    •    Ensure good lighting for the biometric capture
    •    Prepare your postal documents carefully

The process is smooth once you understand what is required. I hope my experience helps someone else going through the same journey.