Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis — St. Kitts and Nevis has announced that a new biometric passport enrolment facility in Lagos, Nigeria, will begin operating during the week starting Monday, 13 July. Officials said they will confirm the exact start once the centre is fully functional, marking a major step for applicants across Africa who previously had to travel abroad to complete biometric registration.
Lagos centre expands enrolment access under biometric modernisation
The Lagos site is set to become the first enrolment location on the African continent under the National Biometric Enrolment and Passport Modernisation Programme. The programme is designed to broaden access for citizens in the region and reduce the need for international travel solely to finish identity verification and passport biometric enrolment.
The initiative was rolled out by the Ministry of National Security, Citizenship and Immigration in partnership with the Citizenship Unit on 14 April 2026. It aims to bring the Federation’s travel documents into full alignment with widely used international standards for identity checks and border security, including the same approach already adopted in the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Global rollout and data protection safeguards
St. Kitts and Nevis said the Lagos opening is part of a broader worldwide expansion plan. Alongside the new centre in Washington DC that is already live, additional locations are expected to open in Jeddah, Iraq and Singapore.
- Accessibility focus: collection centres are being introduced globally to make enrolment more reachable.
- Security and governance: biometric information will be held in encrypted systems under full Government control.
- Regulatory alignment: biometric data storage is said to comply with international data protection standards and International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements.
Deadlines, passport rules and enrolment requirements
The Citizenship Unit also set out compliance expectations for people who obtained citizenship through the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Programme, including dependants and children. Those individuals are required to complete biometric enrolment by 31 July 2027.
Travel rules during the transition period will also be phased. Passports issued before 14 April 2026 will remain valid for travel while the programme transitions. After that period, only biometric-enabled passports will be accepted.
Enrolment is scheduled to take between 15 and 30 minutes and will be carried out only at officially designated locations. Registration and payment will be handled exclusively through the official Government of St. Kitts and Nevis Biometric Enrolment Platform.
- Enrolment must be completed at officially designated centres.
- Appointments are booked and paid for only through the official Government platform.
- Use of any other platform or third-party provider is prohibited.
What applicants in the region should do next
Officials outlined a step-by-step process for citizens and their dependants preparing for enrolment at the Lagos centre once it is confirmed operational.
- Appoint an Authorised Agent: the agent will provide a personalised registration link and a unique Authorised Agent Code.
- Register on the official platform: use your Certificate of Registration number to sign up.
- Book once the Lagos centre is confirmed: schedule your appointment at the Lagos location after it becomes operational.
- Bring your current passport: attend with your existing passport for identification purposes; it will not be collected or surrendered.
- Meet the deadline: complete biometric enrolment well ahead of 31 July 2027.
For additional assistance, the Citizenship Unit directed applicants to contact [email protected].
