Application for e-passports to continue after deadline - Immigration

The government has said applications for the new generation passports will continue even after the August 31 deadline.

The Immigration Department had earlier said the deadline set was for the validity of using the old generation passports and not for applying new ones.

"Kenyans will and can continue applying for the new generation e-passports even after the end of August,” part of the statement from the department reads.

This follows long queues witnessed for the past weeks in passport issuance centres due to the perception that the process will be terminated by August 31.

The department has also extended its working hours from 6 am to 7 pm in order to attend to more applicants.

The immigration department has also said applicants can apply for passports at other centres opened in Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Kisii and Embu apart from Nairobi.

Applicants have also been urged to avoid queuing for long hours since few applicants can be attended to every day.

Kenyans in Diaspora can also collect e-passports in centres located in Pretoria (South Africa), Berlin (Germany), London (UK), Paris (France), Washington DC (US) and Dubai (UAE).

Interior CS Fred Matiang’i had earlier said that the government will not extend the issuance of new passports.

Matiang’i spoke during the launch of the e-passport centre in Nakuru.

He said the government is progressively decentralising immigration services to ease congestion at Nyayo House and complement service delivery at the Kisumu and Mombasa offices.

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