Nigerian Missions in the U.S. Resolve Passport Production Crisis; Services Resume

The Nigerian government has successfully addressed the passport production crisis at its missions in the United States. As of now, three missions, including the Consulates-General in New York and Atlanta, have resumed passport production services.

A Public Notice posted at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington DC informs passport applicants previously scheduled for biometrics from Monday, November 13th to Thursday, November 16th, that their appointments have been rescheduled to take place from Monday, November 20th to Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023. The Embassy assures applicants they can visit on any of the specified days.

The temporary disruption was attributed to an internet outage at the Embassy in Washington DC. An unnamed source from the Embassy confirmed the resolution over the weekend, emphasizing that the issue was internet-related rather than a server problem. The Embassy’s server is interconnected with those in New York and Atlanta, leading to a system-wide impact.

The source revealed that experts from Nigeria collaborated with local ICT experts at the Embassy to rectify the problem. Following successful resolution, a test run was conducted on Saturday, confirming the restoration of services at all centers, including New York and Atlanta.

Nigeria’s Missions in the U.S. consist of the Consulates-General in New York and Atlanta, along with the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington DC. While the Embassy in Washington DC serves as the sole passport production center in the U.S., the consulates collect biometrics locally and transmit the data to Washington DC for passport production.

Amid this development, the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN) and its 20 partner organizations in New York have called on the Federal Government to equip missions in Atlanta and New York with passport production machines. Highlighting the significant jurisdiction of the New York consulate, which covers 20 states, the organizations express concern over the absence of passport printing machines in New York and Atlanta.

The affected applicants and the Nigerian diaspora in the U.S. are relieved as services resume, bringing an end to the temporary disruption in passport production services.