Passport Backlog: Relief for Kenyans as 674,000 documents processed in a month

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared on Thursday that the government has successfully processed 674,000 passports in just 38 days, bringing the backlog down from 724,000 to under 50,000.

"All the bottlenecks have now been comprehensively addressed. The backlog of pending passports that stood at 724,000 by March 11, 2024, has now been brought to below 50,000," he said.

He assured Kenyans that out of the remaining 50,000, only 10,000 are pending, with 40,000 ready for collection.

Moreover, all passport applicants can expect their passports within 21 days from May 1, 2024, with plans to reduce this timeframe to three days.

"This efficiency will further improve, with processing time reduced to seven days by August 1, 2024, and three days by November 1, 2024," added Kindiki.

Kindiki said the surge in applications, attributed to the government's labour export policy, prompted infrastructural enhancements and personnel adjustments to ensure timely service delivery.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki's visit to Nyayo House on April 18, 2024. (X/Interior Ministry)

Kindiki highlighted the government's crackdown on corruption within immigration, noting 17 individuals facing criminal charges for exploiting passport applicants.

"They were part of an organized criminal gang that took advantage of the situation to extort Kenyans, have been arrested, and are facing criminal charges," he said.

He expressed gratitude to the public for their patience and lauded immigration officials for their dedicated efforts in implementing reforms since April 2023.

Acknowledging the National Treasury's support in settling pending bills and modernizing equipment, Kindiki credited these efforts for the turnaround in passport issuance.