The High Commissioner of Nigeria to Canada, H.E. Adeyinka Asekun, led diplomats and immigration officers to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, to ensure a hitch-free E-Passport biometric exercise for Nigerians who applied for passport renewal.
Here is a news summary of the three-day event organised by the Nigerian Canadian Association in Saskatoon in collaboration with the Nigeria High Commission, Ottawa. About 338 applicants had their biometric exercise done.
WandeSays
Hello, my Nigerian passport is expiring this month-June. I picked several appointments to renew but wasn't possible due to lockdown, my last appointment date was June 2nd but was cancelled due to the extension of the stay at home order. Is there any hope for me and others in this situation. No one is responding to my emails too. Please
Abu SusanSays
Yes, hopefully before the end of June. You will get an email shortly. Sorry about the stress.
Abu SusanSays
Sorry about that, Wande, We are working on a new schedule. You will get an email soon. We would also post the details here.
Juliet OnunSays
Hi, we have a Nigerian association here in Grande Prairie Alberta. I am the current president and like to know we can have the passport department of the high commission come down to administer passport renewal for this area.
Abu SusanSays
Hi Juliet, I will send your message to the Immigration department. Thank you.
DavidSays
Hello Abu Susan, I have been sending emails about my situation and still haven’t gotten any reply. I came to Ottawa in December to have my biometrics and photo taken I also left my mailing envelope behind, which contained all the documents that were required for my passport renewal. I am all the way in Alberta and that was my second time traveling to Ottawa because there was a lockdown order in place the first time I showed up. This has not only halted the renewal of my study permit but somehow also affected my mental health immensely. At this point I don’t know what to do anymore, I have already paid for this passport since 16th June, 2020. Application id- 16410845 Reference number- 1496415423 Please, help me!
ADESays
Hello Abu Susan, i'm one of the students that applied for a new passport to extend my study permit since last year. My appointment at the high commission was supposed to be on April 13th which i had communicated to IRCC and was given a deadline to submit (April 26), after the lockdown was initiated, i informed IRCC of the situation and was given an extension till May 26, i informed IRCC of the extension of the lockdown and provided all the documentation but this time they refused me because i still couldn't provide the passport. What can you do for us because this situation is none of our fault. Now i have to restore my status and that is going to affect my studies and i only have 2 months left to complete my program. Can you please help us?
Abu SusanSays
ADE, Thanks for your patience. Take a look at our latest news update. We are thinking about applicants in your category. PRIORITY TO THOSE IN URGENT SITUATIONS As Ontario prepares for the roadmap to reopening, the Nigeria High Commission, Ottawa is restructuring its stages of reopening to the public. We expect to start the passport renewal session with urgent cases such as – 1. Students and workers whose study and work permits have expired. 2. Applicants currently out of status due to lack of a valid Nigerian passport. To certify the validity of your claim, kindly provide the Mission with prove of the expiration by emailing your documents to-. generalinquiries@nigeriahcottawa.ca The Nigeria High Commission, Ottawa, is STILL CLOSED. We will announce the resumption date shortly on the website and our social media platforms. We are here to serve you.
Michael O.Says
Hello Mr. Abu, Hope you're doing well. Considering Ontario would likely roll-out re-opening plan from next Monday, June 14th, for our travel planning purpose, when should people who missed appointments in April/May plan to be at the Embassy in Ottawa? Would you provide date ranges as options for people to pick? As you well know, many people need to schedule time off from their employers. Thanks for your kind response.
Sofia. BSays
Hello, My Nigerian passport has expired and I filed for a new one earlier this year. I was unable to book an appointment, and I've had to cancel my flight to Nigeria multiple times. What's the update with people who've already applied and paid for their passport, especially with the re-opening plan for june 14th. Please I look forward to your response.
OlusolaSays
Hello, my passport is expiring this month, is there any way you can help me. Applied since march, even wasted flight to Ontario in May. Please kindly assist me
Charles BSays
Is the embassy aware of what’s going on in Calgary? Over 1000 people applied for passport renewal & capturing was scheduled for this weekend. Two capturing machines where sent down with one of the machines having issues. There has been massive queues outside since Saturday & a lot of ppl are frustrated. Babies & kids, elderly & everyone are outside, this is very bad for publicity of our dear country Nigeria. Would be nice if you guys can schedule another weekend because a lot of us would not be able to capture this weekend. I have been giving another date for Monday morning @ 9am, I don’t know why the association here is thinking about Monday scheduling when most of us work, it doesn’t make any sense. Especially when this is exams week for our kids.
Abu SusanSays
Hello Charles, I am sure you were able to get your biometrics done. We got the message and asked the team to stay till Monday night. They left Calgary on Tuesday afternoon. We learnt over a thousand applicants were captured. Sorry for the inconveniences. Technical issues can occur at any time.
MARTINS.SSays
Hello Abu, please when are your team coming to Regina Saskatchewan for the passport intervention? We submitted all the required documents since May this year, we have been waiting for the passport intervention team to come for capturing. Some of us, our passport have expired, need to apply for renewal of our work permits and study permits. we are in desperate need to renew our passports. We need help here in Regina. We have been having sleepless nights over this issue. Please help us.
Abu SusanSays
Hello Martins, Sorry about the wait. We are working on the backlog from previous Interventions. We had over a thousand applicants in Calgary alone, and we are dealing with the backlog of applicants in Ontario that we didn't admit due to the lockdown. So the timetable for Intervention will be out after we complete the work.
JadeSays
Hello Abu, Do you have a date for your visit to Regina now?
Abu SusanSays
Hello Jade, no. We can't come for Intervention without passport booklets.
JadeSays
Hello, Any new updates concerning when the commission will be coming to Regina?
Abu SusanSays
Hello Jade, Intervention is still on hold till further notice.
Kelechukwu G.Says
I and my family members paid for our passports since May 13. Due to COVID restrictions in Ottawa, we able to come in and submit bio-metrics on the 5th of August. This is the 2nd of October and we are yet to receive our passports. My study permit, my wife's work permit and the visitor visas of my children have all expired. Knowing fully well that we are dealing with Nigerians, we started this process early enough to avoid delays yet here we are. WHY!!!!!
Abu SusanSays
Hello Kelechukwu, We sincerely apologize for the delay. We are still having challenges with passport booklets form Abuja. But we hope to get more booklets soon.
Julia AdamsSays
Please can all this passport application be online for people in diaspora instead of travelling far and wide to Ottawa for Nigerians in Canada. We can get our biometrics done in the nearest police station(for genuinety sake) in our various provinces or states and our passport photographs and other documents can be scanned and uploaded. please can you kindly look into this
Abu SusanSays
We appreciate your advice.
Fashola YewandeSays
Hi There, Are there any plans to hold the intervention program in BC for 2022? and if so do you know when this would most likely happen and how we can apply. My passport expires in November and I'm hoping to get it renewed by August. It would be amazing if I could do so without having to travel all the way to Ottawa for the biometric. Thank You.
Abu SusanSays
Please wait for our tentative timetable on our news update concerning passport interventions to see when we plan to visit BC.
KayodeSays
Hello can someone help confirm if there is any update on passport renewal coming to Saskatchewan this year ? How can I go about renewing my passport at Ottawa? Please what are the steps necessary to take before renewal? Need to travel to Nigeria soon very important please help
Abu SusanSays
Go to the website, click on citizen Service E-passport and follow the instructions carefully, fill the forms, pay and pick a date from the red bar entitled Schedule Appointment on the home page and come to Ottawa to renew your passport.
BabatundeYusufSays
Hello, i have family of 5 and our passport had ex[pired as at jume 2020. When next will the immigtration officials be coming to saskatoon again for biometric capturing, and do we have to apply online ahead . thank you
Abu SusanSays
Not anytime soon.