MPs proposal could have passports out in three days

Kenyans applying for passports could soon get the travel document within three days if a recommendation by Parliament is implemented.

Through the National Assembly’s Committee on National Administration and Internal Security, MPs further urged the government to open more Immigration offices across the country to make it easier to acquire passports.

The MPs said currently, many applicants are forced to make long and costly distances to access Nyayo House or any of the eight regional Immigration offices.

“With adequate resourcing, targeting a maximum of three days for applicants to be issued with passports is realistic…This should be feasible, especially with the opening of more offices in other parts of the country,” said Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo.

Improved efficiency

The MP, who is also the chair of the Committee and other members, however, lauded the government for introducing reforms that have improved the efficiency of the Directorate of Immigration.

“We were used to seeing long queues of people at Nyayo House even after 5pm on working days, but we note that nowadays, those scenes are gone,” said Mandera East MP Hussein Abdirahman.

The MPs spoke during the presentation of the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services’ budget estimates for the 2024/25 Financial Year and supplementary estimates for FY2023/24.

Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, who made the presentation, revealed that the

Department has been allocated Sh15.151 billion instead of the Sh15.873 billion it requested in the Budget Policy Statement.