Passport Application Guidelines Updated
The Ministry of Interior has issued fresh directives concerning essential services, one of which involves a commitment to decrease the processing time for passports.
According to a recently revealed timetable on GossipA2Z.com, the Ministry of Interior has committed to completing the passport processing for all applications within five business days following their submission.
In revising the passport waiting time, the Kithure Kindiki-led ministry stated, “We, believe that responses from Kenyans are the basic ingredients for effective and efficient service delivery.”
At present, there are delays in processing applications, and some individuals from Kenya are asserting that their paperwork has been pending for more than six months. As a result, certain people are unable to travel overseas for medical treatment or educational purposes.
The government has made similar commitments before to expedite passport processing. In June, the ministry declared its intention to address the backlog by bringing in a new printing machine.
In the very same month, the government committed to handling the essential travel paperwork within a week, encompassing all the pending cases dating back to the previous year.
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After two months, the problems related to passports continue to endure, as applicants face extended lines and significant waits.
Several individuals applying through social media have alleged that they were requested for bribes and, feeling desperate, ended up giving sums ranging from Ksh5,000 to Ksh15,000 to people pretending to be government officials.
Corruption within the Department of Immigration and the malfunctioning of the printing machines have been identified as the causes of the delay in passport processing.
The department has been urging individuals in need of the document urgently to get in touch with their offices and present evidence of their urgency.
Nevertheless, individuals seeking expedited processing for their applications have reported encountering challenges on social media platforms. These challenges include difficulties such as unresponsive phone lines when trying to contact immigration authorities.
The updated service charter issued by the Ministry of Interior has also stated that foreign individuals will be granted visas within 48 hours after submitting an online application.
Passport Application Guidelines Updated
