The rush to get E-passports with the September 1, 2019, deadline looming has attracted long queues that begin as early as 3:00 in the morning at Nairobi’s Nyayo House.
This has attracted the attention of the Immigration Permanent Secretary (PS) Gordon Kihalangwa who has today, June 24, 2019, addressed members of the press and categorically stated that issuance of the e-passport would from today henceforth be done in order of priority.
“For the last two months, we have observed a very big influx of Kenyans wanting to apply for the e-passport leading to very long queues,” Kihalangwa acknowledged.
The issuance of the e-passport will now be done on order of priority as listed below:
- Renewal of Passport
- Those seeking passports to travel because of medical reasons
- Students who are processing for study purposes
- Muslim faithful travelling for the religious haji
- Government officials travelling on official duties
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Holders of the old machine-readable passports will be given priority in the issuance of the e-passport, according to the Immigration CS.
The e-passport was introduced on September 1, 2017, and was to phase out the machine-readable passports which were all set for expiry on September 1, 2019, two years later.
“The deadline of e-passport will only affect those with machine-readable passports and hence there should be no rush for everybody to rush to rush for the e-passport unnecessarily,” Kihalangwa said.
“Those that now seek to have the e-passport should carry supporting documents to ensure their reasons for travel are stated in the order of priority,” the PS added.
Kihalangwa also sought to inform Kenyans that there are other centres that issue passports and they, therefore, need not crowd Nyayo House when they can access the services elsewhere.
Other centres that issue passports in Kenya as mentioned by the PS Kihalangwa are in:
- Mombasa
- Kisumu
- Embu
- Nakuru
- Eldoret
- Kisii
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