Immigration Ditches Appointments for Passports Amid Public Outcry
The Immigration Department has announced changes to the passport acquisition process to expedite the whole exercise after immense public outcry.
In a notice issued by the department on Sunday, July 28, 2024, applicants will no longer be required to book an appointment to collect their passports.
The Immigration Department indicated that the move follows a series of complaints raised online by Kenyans over the passport application process.
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“Further, we have simplified the process of passport delivery: applicants are no longer required to book for appointment to collect passports,” part of the statement read in part.
New communication channels
Additionally, the Immigration Department informed applicants that a new communication channel has been launched to address some of their concerns.
The channel will be run by a team to expedite the passport application processes, the department further added.
“We have a dedicated team to expeditiously address issues raised from all social media platforms,” the department’s statement indicated.
“The Directorate of Immigration Services is Listening and open to all emerging issues. Contact us.”
Ruto’s promise
This message comes just minutes after President William Ruto indicated that his administration is working to reduce the passport application and collection period to a week.
The Head of State highlighted that those seeking jobs abroad will mainly benefit from this expedited process.
“I have planned that anyone interested in flying out for those jobs will get their passports in less than a week,” Ruto told Taita Taveta residents on Sunday, July 28, 2024.
In April 2024, then Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki had earlier announced that the process would be reduced to three days effective November 1, 2024.
“The government has addressed the historical bottlenecks that had resulted in the frustration of many Kenyans in their search to acquire the Kenyan passport,” Kindiki stated.
Kindiki added that addressing the challenges which had rocked passport processing led to a reduction in backlog.
Some of the bottlenecks included underfunding of the Directorate of Immigration, corruption, and disruption of the passport booklet raw material supply chain globally.
Immigration Ditches Appointments for Passports Amid Public Outcry
