In its resolve to rise up to the security challenges facing the country and to be able to account for every foreigner in Nigeria with respect to his or her location and activity, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), in conjunction with its technical partner, Continental Transfert Technique Ltd (CONTEC), has introduced a new Combine Expatriate Resident and Aliens Card (CERPAC) designed to take care of all the shortcomings of the old CERPAC card.
Also, in order to accommodate frequent travellers and forestall identity theft, the NIS has introduced new passport reforms with the introduction of a new traveller’s passport with 64 pages, and slight adjustment in passports prices.
This was disclosed at the weekend by D S Parradang, comptroller-general, Nigeria Immigration Service, as conveyed in a letter from the Ministry of Interior.
According to the comptroller-general, the new CERPAC card has two years validity, indefinite for Niger-wives and determines the duration of stay of foreign envoys in line with their accreditation. Its new features include durability, as it can withstand high temperature and humidity, it is contact-less readable, and comes with enhanced security features. The new card is obtained in all other seven designated CERPAC issuing centres – Zone ‘A’, Lagos; Zone ‘B’, Kaduna; Zone ‘C’, Bauchi; Zone ‘E’, Owerri; Zone ‘F’, Ibadan; Zone ‘G’, Benin; and Zone ‘H’, Makurdi.
The comptroller-general, therefore, advised all foreigners to visit the centres to get the new card, and used the opportunity to advise all foreigners yet to complete regularisation exercise to present themselves at the designated centres as well.
According to the comptroller-general, “In order to conform to present realities, the Federal Government has approved major reforms in the cost and category of the standard e-passport. The commencement date will be announced soon.”
At the end of the exercise in April 2014, expatriates not having this new green cards will be treated as persons not legally resident in Nigeria and liable to be removed, according to the comptroller-general.
The new passport with 64 pages comes at N20,000, while others – below 18 years passport – N8,750; 18 to 60 years passport – N15,000; 60 years and above passport, N8,750; change of data/lost passport N20,000; change of names as a result of marriage, divorce, and deceased spouse – N8,750, and change of data on request as processing fees N30,000.
