The information that follows was provided by consular staff at the Nigerian High Commission in Ottawa during a 17 September 2002 telephone interview.

In principle, Nigerians should apply for a passport at a consulate, embassy or high commission in the foreign country they are in at the time, or in the diplomatic mission nearest to them if there is none in the country where they are. Nigerians can apply directly to Nigeria for a passport even if they are abroad, although this is not the usual procedure; in such a case, it would probably be less of a problem to obtain a passport if the person already has one, and it is only a matter of replacing an existing one.

The Nigerian High Commission in Canada was closed from 1996 to 1998, and at the time, Nigerians in Canada applied for passports to the consulate in New York or directly to authorities in Nigeria. Although the High Commission in Canada re-opened, many Nigerians living in Canada apparently did not realize that they could now obtain their passports in Canada, and continued to apply to the New York consulate or to authorities in Nigeria.

The current consular staff at the High Commission in Ottawa is not aware of a shortage or absence of passports from October 1998 until September 1999. Please find attached two documents on obtaining and renewing passports, published by the High Commission in Ottawa; consular staff indicated that the information contained therein is current, and that the requirements and steps for obtaining or renewing a passport in Nigeria are similar.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Reference

High Commission for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ottawa. 17 September 2002. Telephone interview with consular staff.

Attachments

High Commission for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ottawa. n.d. "Passport Re-Issue." http://www.nigeriahighcommottawa.com/passre.doc [Accessed 17 Sept. 2002]

_____. 7 December 2001. "Obtaining Passports." http://www.nigeriahighcommottawa. com/OBTAINING%20PASSPORTS.htm [Accessed 17 Sept. 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted

Country Reports 1998-2001. 1999-2002.

IRB Databases.

NEXIS.

The Passport Handbook.

Travel Information Manual (TIM).

The Vanguard [Lagos]. Searchable archives.

World News/Nigeria Daily [Lagos]. Searchable archives.

Internet sites and search engines.