Federal Government Resolves Passport Production Crisis in the U.S.: Passport Services Resume

The Federal Government has successfully resolved the passport production crisis in the U.S., leading to the resumption of passport services at the three Missions. A Public Notice posted in the Embassy of Nigeria, Washington DC, conveyed that all passport applicants initially scheduled for biometric capture between November 13th and 16th have had their appointments rescheduled to take place from November 20th to 22nd, 2023. The change in schedule was attributed to internet-related issues experienced at the Embassy.

A source within the Embassy confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York on Sunday that the problem had been resolved over the weekend. The source explained that the experts worked diligently to address the issue, and the system was fully restored. Passport services are now operational in all three Missions: New York, Atlanta, and Washington DC.

The source further clarified that the problem was internet-related and not a server issue. Since the server is connected to the Embassy’s internet, any disruptions to the internet affect other Missions as well. Experts from Nigeria collaborated with local ICT experts in the Embassy to rectify the issue.

Nigeria has three Missions in the United States—Consulates-General in New York and Atlanta and the Embassy in Washington DC. The Embassy in Washington DC is the sole passport production center in the U.S., while the consulates collect biometrics and send them to Washington DC for passport production.

Earlier, the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) and its 20 partner organizations in New York had appealed to the Federal Government to provide passport production machines for Missions in Atlanta and New York. The New York consulate has a broad jurisdiction covering 20 states, and the absence of passport printing machines in these locations was a matter of concern for the organizations.