The Ministry of Interior is encouraging Kenyans who have applied for the 34-page passport booklet to consider upgrading to the 50-page version for faster processing, revealed Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok in a statement dated Thursday, March 21.

The country recently received an additional 112,700 passport booklets, comprising 92,400 50-page booklets and 20,300 66-page booklets, supplementing the earlier consignment of 50,000 50-page booklets.

Due to a shortage of the 34-page booklets, whose consignment is pending, the government is advising applicants with urgent travel needs to opt for the 50-page booklet upgrade.

"Passport issuance will prioritize applications on a first-come-first-served basis. Applicants awaiting 34-page passports with urgent travel requirements are encouraged to upgrade to the 50-page booklet via the eCitizen portal. No physical visit to Immigration offices is required for the upgrade application," Bitok stated.

Applicants will incur an additional fee of Ksh2,000 for the upgrade, aligning with the Ministry's revised fee structure. The 34-page booklet now costs Ksh7,500, while the 50-page version is priced at Ksh9,500.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki had earlier instructed officers nationwide to adhere to the new fee structure, which saw significant adjustments. Replacing lost passports now costs Ksh20,000, up from Ksh12,000, while replacing mutilated passports now attracts a fee of Ksh20,000, compared to Ksh10,000 previously. Moreover, obtaining an express passport will cost Ksh30,000.

Bitok also confirmed the procurement of two new machines to expedite passport printing, reducing the waiting period to 21 days. Applicants can track their application status by sending an SMS with their eCitizen application reference code to 22222.