Ministry of Interior Promises Faster Processing Times for Passports

The Ministry of Interior has issued new guidelines aimed at improving critical services, with a particular focus on reducing the waiting time for passport processing. According to the new schedule, the ministry pledges to process all passport applications within five working days after submission.

The Kithure Kindiki-led ministry emphasizes the importance of responses from Kenyans in enhancing service delivery efficiency. This move comes as a response to the significant delays experienced by passport applicants, with some reporting processing times of over six months. The prolonged waiting periods have caused hardships for individuals who urgently need their passports for travel, medical treatment, or educational purposes.

In an effort to address the backlog, the government previously announced plans to import a new printing machine, and in June, promised to process passports within a week, including clearing backlogs from the previous year. However, despite these assurances, delays have persisted, with applicants enduring long queues and facing difficulties in obtaining their travel documents.

Social media platforms have been inundated with complaints from applicants who claim to have been asked for bribes, with some reportedly paying amounts ranging from Ksh5,000 to Ksh15,000 to individuals posing as state employees.

The delay in processing passports has been attributed to corruption within the Department of Immigration and malfunctions in the printing machines. In response, the department has urged applicants with urgent needs to contact their offices and provide proof of urgency. However, some applicants have encountered obstacles, such as inactive phone lines when attempting to expedite their applications.

In addition to improving passport processing times, the revised service charter from the Interior Ministry also promises that foreigners will receive visas within 48 hours after submitting their online applications. These efforts are aimed at streamlining services and enhancing efficiency in passport and visa processing for both citizens and foreign nationals.