General Information

The Embassy in Abuja issues passports to German nationals who are resident in the following states of Nigeria: Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Koggi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara.

The Consulate General in Lagos issues passports to German nationals who are resident in the following states of Nigeria: Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and River.

Types of passports

There are two types of passports for minors: The biometric passport and the children's passport for children under the age of 12 years.

If you wish to travel abroad with your child, a children’s passport will usually be sufficient. It is valid for only one year and can be issued before the child turns 12 years old. However, some few countries such as the US do not accept the child’s passport for their visa waiver programs.

Alternatively, you can apply for a biometric passport for your child. The passport has a validity of 6 years, but is recognized by most countries due to its biometric features. However, it is more expensive.

For both types of passport, it is necessary that the parent(s) who hold(s) custody of the child come(s) to the Embassy or Consulate General in person with the child to file the passport application. If one parent resides outside of Nigeria and cannot come by in person, a certified declaration of consent is required before the passport can be issued.

Application

Both the German Embassy in Abuja and the German Consulate General in Lagos require pre-booked appointments for passport matters. Please make sure to book your appointment using our booking system.

Booking system Embassy in Abuja

Booking system Consulate general in Lagos

If you cannot keep an appointment and wish to cancel it, please inform us through our contact form.

Required documents

All documents must be submitted in the original with a copy at the time of application. This also applies if the same documents have already been submitted to the embassy or the consulate general for another purpose. Documents that are not in German or English must be accompanied by a German translation by a recognised translation agency.

• A duly completed passport application form
• Two recent passport photograph according to biometric specifications (35 x 45 mm). You can find more specifications here
• Current passport
• Proof of legal residence in Nigeria, such as Nigerian visa/permanent residence permit or Nigerian passport (for dual citizens only)
• Deregistration certificate from your last place of residence in Germany (“Abmeldebescheinigung”)
• Passport copies of both parents
• Proof of residence of both parents
• Birth certificate
• If applicable, marriage certificate of the parents
• Pre-paid self-addressed envelope (only possible when applying in Lagos)

Please note that additional documents might be necessary in the single case. If this applies for you, you will be asked to submit them after you have filed your application.

First time applications – document verification

If you apply for a German passport for your child for the first time, a document verification is usually required. The following documents have to be submitted for this purpose:

Concerning the Nigerian parent:

• Copy of his/her passport
• Full name, address, telephone number and e-mail address
• Old school documents
• If applicable, baptism certificate
• Birth certificate issued by the hospital he/she was born in
• If the birth was registered: Certificate of Birth issued by the Local Government
• Declaration of age, deposed by a parent or the head of family before the High Court
• Affidavit of Family Status / Spinsterhood / Bachelorhood, deposed by a parent or the head of family before the High Court
• If applicable, marriage certificate
• Completely filled questionnaire for document verifications
• Old family photographs

Concerning the German parent:

• Copy of his/her passport
• Proof of his/her family status, such as marriage certificate/divorce decree
• If applicable, certificate of naturalization

Concerning the child:

• Birth Certificate issued by the National Population Commission at the place of birth
• Birth certificate issued by the hospital the child was born in
• If applicable, baptism certificate
• If applicable, school certificates

Additional documents might be requested.

Processing Time

Application processing can take 6-8 weeks. We therefore advise you to apply for your new passport at least 3 months before your current passport expires. If a document verification is required, the processing time will be longer.

Fees

The fees for issuing a new passport are set in euros worldwide. However, they must be paid in the local currency (Nigerian naira). The conversion is made at the respective daily exchange rate, which you can ask at the embassy or the consulate general. At the Consulate General in Lagos, the fees can only be paid with POS. The Embassy in Abuja exclusively accepts cash payments. ​​​​​​​

Base fee and surcharge for applications made from abroad are being charged for all applications.

The surcharge for lack of jurisdiction is being charged if the applicant is still registered in Germany with an official residence.

The surcharge for express service is being charged if the applicant desires his application to be processed more quickly.

The surcharge for 48 pages is being charged if the applicant desires a passport with 48 pages instead of 36 pages.

Temporary Passports

In exceptional cases, a temporary passport with a validity of one year can be issued. This passport can be issued immediately if all requirements are fulfilled and all necessary documents have been presented. The fee for the temporary passport is 39 EUR. Surcharge for lack of jurisdiction applies.