PS Kipsang rolls out new ID registration rules to end vetting delays
By Sharon Atieno, May 22, 2026The government has intensified reforms in the immigration sector after Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang launched a sensitisation drive in Busia County to educate administrators on revised national registration rules aimed at eliminating vetting delays and improving transparency.
The move is expected to benefit thousands of residents in border counties who have, for years, complained of lengthy vetting processes, delayed approvals, and discrimination while applying for national identity cards.
Border counties to benefit
Speaking during the forum on Friday, May 22, 2026, Kipsang said the new framework seeks to simplify registration procedures without compromising national security.
“Spouses who are married to partners from different countries must follow the required legal process to acquire the necessary documents proving their status in the country and enabling them to obtain a spouse pass legally,” Kipsang said.
The PS directed chiefs, assistant chiefs, and registration officers to ensure deserving applicants receive identification documents within the required timelines under the new guidelines.
“The reforms are intended to ensure every eligible Kenyan accesses registration services fairly, efficiently, and transparently,” Kipsang said.
The sensitisation exercise comes months after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen hinted at wider immigration reforms following the abolition of fees for first-time ID applicants and the removal of extra vetting requirements in border counties.
Push for faster services
Murkomen previously disclosed that the government had already scrapped charges for authenticating birth certificates during ID and passport applications, alongside waiving fees for duplicate IDs.
“Together with PS Dr Belio Kipsang, this morning I met with Heads of Directorates in the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services to discuss ways of consolidating our gains and rolling out more reforms in the sector,” Murkomen stated earlier this year.
He added: “The government has already abolished all fees for first-time ID applicants, removed the extra vetting requirement for ID applicants in border counties without compromising security, and fast-tracked the issuance of IDs and passports.”
The reforms are part of a broader government plan to reduce bureaucratic barriers that have historically denied many Kenyans timely access to crucial documents.
More reforms expected
Busia remains among the counties where residents have frequently raised concerns over delays in obtaining IDs due to additional scrutiny linked to its border status.
Officials say the revised registration rules are expected to strengthen accountability, reduce corruption, and improve public confidence in citizen registration services.
Murkomen has also hinted that additional policy and operational reforms are in the pipeline as the government seeks to modernise immigration and citizen services across the country.