hola20:
Avoid this organisation. They are fraudsters and will waste your time.

Hi Hola20, do you know for certain that this company is fraudulent?

Joysmart:
Wow so Glad to hear that
A very big Congratulations to you and your hubby
best of lucks

Thanks Joysmart, especially for your time and help.

Plum70:

Thanks Joysmart. My husband challenged the Swiss Authorities on this additional document requirement and they eventually accepted to start the process based on all the docs we had previously submitted. We were advised that the process could take up to 4 months and we've so far been waiting for just over 3 months.

I will post the outcome when we get word from Switzerland.

Glad to report that our marriage has now been registered in Switzerland. It was confirmed earlier this year.

Appreciate all the advice and time spared by this community to assist us in getting things sorted. You've been super!

kaka22:

Since you now live in UK, ignore my advice. It is economical for you to order online. Apply and the money will be deducted from your account.

Thanks Kaka22. One more question: Do you know of anyone who has successfully used this online service?

kaka22:
I've not used it before but I can assure you that they are legit. I know this because recently, I checked OAU website about ordering for transcript online. There was a link about online application for transcript and when I clicked on it, I was redirected to etx page... Even when I went to exams and record section in OAU, the posters around there showed that they were legit...

Somewhat relieved to hear this. Thanks

kaka22:
WORD OF ADVICE: Instead of ordering for transcript which will cost more that 11,000naira, why don't you apply for a copy manually which will cost about 2000naira? Then you can upload it when you are applying to the university. Some universities accept uploading of official transcipt by applicant. You should write to your preferred university to enquire whether they accept it but if you are finanially buoyant, ignore my advice.

Would I need to write to the relevant dept. in U.I to request the hard copies? Once processed, would U.I then send me the hard copies via post? I live in the UK so not sure how this would work in practice.

Kaka22, seems like you posted a comment but I cannot seem to view it?

Can you pls repost. Thanks

Really, no one knows? There must be someone in the Nairaland community who can help!

Hoping and waiting...

I may have to request my transcripts from the University of Ibadan where I completed my undergraduate course many years ago. This is so that I may be able to pursue a Master's Degree at a European University.

Does anyone know if the new site 'ETX-NG' where one can now order transcripts without the need to physically travel to Nigeria (or have 3rd party assistance) is legitimate? The site address is: https://www.etx-ng.com/ui

Has anyone used it and can attest to its legitimacy and reliability?

Thanking you in advance.

Joysmart: just send someone to your local government headquarters with about two passport photographs they'll issue you the certificate of origin. Or better still if you don't have somebody in the village that can do that just send someone to your state's liason office in any city e.g lagos they issue it there too.

Thanks Joysmart. My husband challenged the Swiss Authorities on this additional document requirement and they eventually accepted to start the process based on all the docs we had previously submitted. We were advised that the process could take up to 4 months and we've so far been waiting for just over 3 months.

I will post the outcome when we get word from Switzerland.

Unfortunately we have received unwelcome news: The Swiss embassy has refused to accept our documents (age declaration and affidavit) because of the aforementioned error with the mismatching dates. They have also requested that we produce an additional document - a certificate of origin/nationality not older than 6 months issued by the City or Town Local Government of the place of origin.

This is so frustrating...I have never heard of or seen such a document, don't know where to begin to get it from and have searched extensively online but have not found one search result offering information about this.

Can anyone please help us? Is there such a certificate or origin/nationality issued to Nigerians who are nationals by birth? This seems an unusual requirement where a birth certificate and passport should reasonably (and legally) suffice.

We are momentarily distressed after the amount of time, money and effort that has already been spent and would appreciate any credible advice/information anyone can give.

THANK YOU.

pillar2880: Hi Plum,

Yes the NPC doc should have:

-The name of the person attesting on your behalf
-Your maiden name
-DOB
-Place of birth (city, state and LGA)
-Parents' full names
-Parents' place of origin (city/town, state and LGA)
-And on the bottom right corner will be a passport photo of you

The sworn declaration of age filed in the high court should have:

-The name and address of the person making the oath on your behalf (same person that will attest on your behalf)
-Relationship with the person making the oath on your behalf
-Your maiden name
-DOB
-Place of birth (city, state and LGA)
-Parents' full names
-Parents' place of origin (city/town, state and LGA)
-And on the top left corner will be a passport photo of the person making the oath on your behalf (same person that attested)

Though, the Swiss gov't says that a close family member can file the declaration on your behalf, I'm sure it should not be a problem if you use your friend since their DOB is not required on the declaration. You just have to figure out the type of relationship that will be stated on the declaration. e.g. on statement 2 of the declaration "That I am a family friend to [your name]."

And when all is said and done, you will then take your birth certificate in addition to other requested documents needed to register your marriage to the Swiss embassy in London, who will then authenticate the birth certificate with the Swiss embassy in Abuja. Unfortunately, this will cost you up to CHF 1,000 and the authentication alone will probably take up to 3-4 months. After your birth certificate has been cleared for authenticity with the Swiss embassy in Abuja, everything should be fairly easy from there. You will then be eventually issued your family book and finally have your marriage recognized in Switzerland. Pray everyday for favor with the different gov'ts and everyone that will be handling your case. Best of luck!

Hi Pillar,

Thanks the pointers. We are well aware of the process on the side of the Swiss consulate and govt. The consular staff have been quite supportive of us despite how long it has taken to wrap this up.

I am pleased to say that we have now obtained both the Affidavit and NPC doc., though we have also found an error on the Affidavit where the date of swearing in and date of magistrate's stamp do not match (they are a month apart)! It is such hard work dealing with Nigerian govt. departments.

Considering the hassle involved in obtaining these docs we will see with the Swiss embassy if they will accept it despite the error before considering any further action.

As already mentioned, do not bother with passport pictures, they will be taken digitally at the Embassy as well as your finger prints (thumb and 1st finger of both hands).

You need to take print outs of your payment CONFIRMATION slip and appointment booking confirmation - this will either be the one from the NIS website or the Embassy's site depending on which you are using.

Yes, take your old passport. If it is an E-passport then it will be retained but returned when you go to collect the new one. The old MRP passport doesn't get retained, only inspected on the day.

Yes, postal order of £20.00 made payable to 'Nigeria High Commission'. You will be given a receipt for this. That's about it for a simple passport re-issue but only you will know if there are special circumstances with your application.

Hope it all goes smoothly.

jeff_oja: Thanks Man, That means i will park just bread.......apples......and my return back to mase is 11:30 that means i will spend a very long time in london doing nothing

Yes, lots of fruit! A sandwich should be fine as long as it doesn't have loads of garlic and onions.

Your return train to Manchester is 11.30 p.m Way too far ahead... can't you amend this?

If not, there's lots to do and see in London - You could relax in museums, cafes or libraries. Not ideal locations for personal time-out but better than freezing out in the cold.

Let us know how it goes at the Embassy.

Cheers

jeff_oja: how do i get my postal order?

In any UK post office.

My time at the embassy took under 3 hours. Got there a bit later than planned but all OK. You will have to return to London at an appointed date to pick up your new passport and takes about a week to be processed.

Have fun there and remember to pack a non-fragrant lunch (Mc Donald's, Burger King an KFC not allowed). You will need it!

OK. In which case just follow my advice: Get into London early on the day and join the queue at the NHC by 9 a.m.

I'll be there next week and can post my experience if you feel it'll help.

Naija_lastborn: You have got thi BC of a thing of recent should tell me i need to know asap

If only your post were not cryptic I might have been able to help!

jeff_oja: My interview date is on the 5 th of March but the time was not specified, since i am coming from Manchester, i will like to know the timing of the interview... meaning if i can i arrive any time before 4 pm since i will be leaving from Manchester on the same day.

Ah, I see.

Unfortunately no specific time slot is allocated, just a date. It is no good travelling down from Manchester same day unless you plan on arriving in London before 9 a.m. and it is best that you are at the Embassy by 9 a.m. to join an already forming queue. Once in the Embassy a ticketing system operates: You take a ticket number, sit and wait for your number to be called. The later you arrive at the Embassy the longer you will wait to be seen.

Again, get there early! I will be following my own advice, though easier as I live in London and fairly close to the centre.

P.S: I found an article online that mentions a Nigerian Consulate recently open in Manchester, the address is:

Nigerian House
Appleby House
Platt Lane, Manchester,
Greater Manchester M14 5NE

If this is legitimate then why not apply for your passport there?

Thanks for the overwhelming feedback everyone. You've been most helpful and hopefully you are not too inert to detect a hint of sarcasm!

Despite the barren reception my post received I am posting some helpful details for anyone who may be in my shoes:

I went down to the NHC in London today to complain about the glitch I described earlier with the online form and apparently it is not a glitch. The Federal Govt. have now made it a mandatory requirement for all Nigerians wanting a passport to provide NOK details of a Nigerian who also has a Nigerian address. So if all your NOKs - be they Nigerian - only have foreign addresses then you're stuffed. This was not a requirement 5 years ago when I got my first passport as I remember putting down my husband's details as my NOK. Luckily I was able to provide one in Nigeria, but unhappy that I was forced to deny my husband's position as my preferred Next of Kin. Never mind...

Also, under the applicant's address where 'state' is a compulsory field, I was advised by staff at the High Commission to enter England as there are no 'states' in the UK.

So, that's the mystery solved.

Over and out.

giggsy: Hello. I have applied for my e-passport to be renewed in London this year. The N.I.S. website generated an automatic interview date-January 20, following my successful payment of $65. However, my e-passport booking appointment date that I got via the Nigeria High Commission's website is on March 15. Please has anyone else experienced such a scenario? Would I need to show up at the High Commission on the 20th of January or on the 15th of March? Thank you.

Why did you book another appointment via the NHC website when you already received on on via NIS?

I completed my online application today and booked an alternative appointment via the NHC website ONLY because the NIS generated an appointment date that falls on a bank holiday when the Embassy in London will no doubt be closed.

Do remember to take your appointment slip along with other print outs.

Bump!

Applications are done online here in the UK, most of mainland Europe (where there is a Nigerian Consulate) and the US.

I imagine that in Nigeria, with less than reliable IT infrastructure, it is more logical and practical to apply in person.

I need to renew my Nigerian e-passport which is due to expire this summer and as this is my first one, I am looking to have another issued for 5 more years.

Two weeks ago I tried completing the online form on the Nigerian Immigration Service website and hit a wall: There are certain compulsory fields in the form that have errors as follows:

The address field - the 'state' of residence is a compulsory field even though I selected London, UK which doesn't have states.

The NOK address field - the default country is set to Nigeria and cannot be changed plus other fields like state and LGA are compulsory. My NOK is my husband who lives in the UK with me but I cannot enter his details because the form assumes one's NOK only has a Nigerian address - ridiculous! Obviously without these compulsory fields completed I cannot submit the form nor make a payment nor secure an appointment at the Embassy.

I have emailed the support team at SW global but have heard nothing back almost two weeks after.

Is anyone experiencing the same issue? The Nigeria High Commission in London never picks up telephone calls so I am thinking of popping down there to explain my predicament and see what can be done directly at the Embassy.

Has anyone tried this and succeeded? Pointers welcome.

Thanks

Bump bump!

monsieursam64: 1. Yes. though mine(affidavit) did nt contain my parents place of origin bt i was asked @ npc's office.
2. No. There is no need for that.
3. No. U dont need any passport(intl p.port or p.port photo) whatsoever. I wasnt asked.
4. I dont know much abt that. When she gets there, she should ask.

So, the age affidavit should state:

My maiden name
DOB
Place of birth (city, state and LGA)
Anything else?

NPC Doc. should state:

My maiden name
DOB
Place of birth (city, state and LGA)
Parents' full names
Parents' place of origin (city/town, state and LGA)

That's it?

Bump!

monsieursam64: I did my BC last week @ NPC, and d process involved is just so easy. Anyone can do it for you irrespective of d age btw u and that person. I spent roughly #4000 to get mine, and it took just 2 days for it to be ready. I see no reason u should travel with ur hubby down to naija just for a BC.
All u have to do is to give that friend of yours all d necessary information she will need to go abt d whole processing. Info such as;
1. Your full name.
2. Date of birth
3. Father's fullname, name of village and LG of origin, this also applies to mother.
4. Place of birth.
So, firstly she should go to high court and swear affidavit of age declaration(this cost me #500 cos it was for embassy purpose while getting d affidavit typed by typist around d court is btw #150 & #200, bt i spent #300 cos d first one i did was nt d right format).
All he/she has to do is to sign in place of your father and nobody cares abt who signs. But she has to be very careful of those agents around d court cos she doesnt need them in d processing. This is my one cent to contribute.
I hope it helps.

Thanks for taking the time to post some useful information monsieur.

Can I ask:
Does the age affidavit AND the NPC document have to contain all of the above details?

Also, will I have to write a letter (addressed to the high court and the NPC) authorising my friend to act on my behalf?

I understand that i'd need to provide copies of my Nigerian passport biodata page and four passport pictures. Should I also send copies of my UK residence permit to prove that I am resident abroad hence why a proxy is acting on my behalf?

Lastly, as I bear my husband's surname would you know if I also need to send my previous passport in my maiden name? Also does the format of my name on the affidavit and NPC doc. need to be like: Tuela Neila Jones (Nee Smith)?

Thanks, thanks and thanks!

Bump, bump...

ladydada: I'm surprised you haven't sorted this out after more than 2 years
But I understand how that is possible since there is no website, information centre or anything that makes things clear
You have to rely on bits of information people give you, which is constantly changing
As you may well know Nigeria is a mad place where you can make anything happen if you have the money
With me, I had lost my original birth certificate and when I recently went to Nigeria, I went to the local govt office
They pointed us to the right office to speak to 'Iya Birth' (that's really what they call her haha)
My brother did all the talking for me - he just said we want a long format BC (Birth Certificate)
I didn't say a word because once they hear my accent in Nigeria, the price of everything triples
She told him there were 3 types and brought out examples
The standard small certificate - less than half an A4 (Hospitals tend to give out this type)
A regular certificate - Half of A4 (This is the type I had lost)
A long certificate - Longer than A4 (This has yours and your parents details)
She didn't even ask for ID or anything - just told us to write down all the information we want to go on the BC
She was trying to figure out how much she could squeeze out of us and was saying 'Is it for Embassy? Are you traveling?'
But we simply avoided the chit chat and said we want the long one
She said it will be N7,000, and that it would be ready in a week
No receipt, nothing - but when we came to pick it up it was ready as promised
It is acceptable anywhere - I presented this BC in the registry when I got married abroad
I also used it in getting a new passport with my new name
So it's more than valid anywhere - worldwide
I thought that fee was extortionate btw so you should be able to get a better deal
Whether I was present or not, the BC would have been just as easily obtainable, so please just try to sort this thing out.

Best of luck

Thanks Ladydada, I appreciate your input.

Not giving up...

Bump bump.

Still hanging on for answers. No doubt someone helpful will come along.

Thanks again!

Good comment Ruby.

I'm sure a majority of posters on this forum are working class folks interested in affordable hotels nit 'luxury' rip-offs!

I'll try this again:

Yes, it seems like a ridiculous amount of time we have spent trying to sort this out but that's the way it's been! We maybe close to a resolution if forum members provide me with some experiential feedback.

1. I now do not have easy access to family in Lagos who can help with swearing to an age affidavit on my behalf and understand that I cannot do this myself.
2. My husband and I agree that it is pointless us travelling all that way if we are unable to complete this process on our own.
3. I have a good friend in Lagos who can swear to this age affidavit on my behalf as well as obtain the NPC Attestation of Birth which will save us to trip to Lagos. She is younger than I am though - DOES THIS MEAN THAT SHE IS INELIGIBLE?

Can anyone who has obtained their NPC Attestation of Birth by proxy confirm if a YOUNGER friend can LEGALLY assist with this?

THANK YOU!!!