Nigerian Passport for a Newborn

Yes, a Nigerian passport can be issued to a baby within the first weeks of life. You need an NPC birth certificate and a NIN for the baby first, then both parents' Nigerian passports and NINs. The booklet issued is the 32-page 5-year — the 10-year option is restricted to adults aged 18 and over. Standard fee applies: ₦100,000 inside Nigeria.

A passport is the third document in a sequence, not the first. The Nigerian state needs two earlier confirmations of who the child is.

1. NPC birth certificate. Register the birth with the National Population Commission, ideally at the hospital before discharge, or at any NPC office in the first 60 days. Hospital cards and church records are not accepted by NIS. See how to get a Nigerian birth certificate.
2. NIN for the baby. NIMC enrols infants. Bring the NPC birth certificate, both parents' NINs, and the baby. The full route is on how to get a NIN for a child.
3. Passport application on immigration.gov.ng.

Skipping the NIN step is the most common reason a newborn application stalls. The portal will not let you submit without one.

Getting an acceptable passport photograph of a newborn is the practical challenge most parents underestimate. NIS rejects photos with parental hands, blurred faces, closed mouths covered by dummies, or strong shadows. A workable approach:

• Lay the baby on a plain white sheet or pillowcase, photographed from directly above.
• Use natural daylight indirectly, never flash. Avoid shadow over the face.
• Eyes open if possible, but a sleeping newborn is sometimes accepted at the officer's discretion when an awake shot is not practical.
• No dummy, no toys, no parent visible.

The full specification is in Nigerian passport photo requirements. The same spec applies to adults and babies; only the practical method differs.

The biometric appointment is the same enrolment process as for an adult, with two practical differences:

• Photograph is captured at the appointment. Bring a calm baby; reception holds can be long.
• Fingerprints are generally not viable for infants and very young children. Officers typically skip fingerprint capture for newborns at their discretion, with the biometrics completed in full at the next re-issue when the child is older. NIS does not publish a fixed age cutoff for fingerprint capture in its public guidance.
• Signature is captured as a placeholder, often a stylised mark in the signature box.

Bring both parents where practical; at minimum one parent must be present with the baby and both parents' original passports and NIN slips.

The 64-page 10-year passport is restricted to adults aged 18 and over. Newborns and other minors are issued 5-year booklets. In practice this means:

• 32-page 5-year is the default for an infant.
• 64-page 5-year is technically available but rarely chosen for an infant; the extra pages serve no purpose at this age.
• 64-page 10-year is not available to anyone under 18.

The 5-year cycle suits children well: by the time the booklet expires, the baby looks nothing like the photograph, and a re-issue is needed regardless of validity.

Since the NIS fee review of 1 September 2025, the published rates do not distinguish minor from adult fees on the standard 32-page 5-year booklet.

• Inside Nigeria — ₦100,000 for the 32-page 5-year.
• Diaspora applicants pay the mission's local-currency equivalent of $150, plus the mission's administrative fee. The Consulate General of Nigeria, Atlanta lists $142 for the 32-page 5-year as of the latest published schedule; figures differ slightly by mission.

Pay only on immigration.gov.ng or by money order to your named mission. Anyone asking for a "fast-track baby passport" fee outside the portal is a scammer.

The default is a consent letter signed by both parents. Diaspora missions, including the Embassy of Nigeria in Sweden, are explicit on this requirement. Variations are accepted with supporting paperwork:

• Sole legal custody — attach the court order granting custody and a statement of why the other parent's consent is not available.
• One parent deceased — attach a death certificate from the National Population Commission.
• Single mother, no legal recognition of father — most missions accept the mother's application alone with the NPC birth certificate that lists only the mother. Confirm with your mission first; rules differ.
• Both parents abroad with the baby — both attend the appointment together where possible.

Sole-parent applications submitted without supporting paperwork are usually held for clarification.