Imo Command of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says the command will soon begin issuance of the new polycarbonate passports.
Mr David Ringshum, the Comptroller of Immigration in the state, Mr said this when some workers of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) paid him a courtesy call at the command in Owerri.
Ringshum said the new e-passport would have three categories of a 64-page passport with 10-year validity, a 64-page passport with 5-year validity and a 32-page passport with 5-year validity.
He advised intending users to exercise patience as the issuance of the new passports, which are already being used in Abuja and Lagos, would soon commence in the 36 states of the federation.
Ringshum warned members of the public against the dangers of patronizing touts who disguised as middlemen claiming to have access to NIS officers.
According to him, many measures had been put in place to check to racketeer through technology and punishing arrested touts.
The comptroller said that the introduction of e-payment for passports had reduced human contact, thus reducing touting.
” We have also told applicants not to speak to non-uninformed persons as another measure to check touting.
” As soon as we get the signal, we will begin to issue the new polycarbonate passport. So, we call for more patience on the part of intending users as we have already started its issuance in Lagos and Abuja,” he said.
Ringshum commended the NAN for always reporting objectively and urged the agency not to relent.
He promised to continue to partner with the agency at the state level and used the opportunity of the visit to invite NAN staff to the official launch of its e-Migrant registration.
