State clears passport backlog, opens new offices to ease access for job seekers
By Maureen Kinyanjui |
The government has revealed that it has bought one million passport booklets and recruited 300 new immigration officers to meet the growing demand.
The government has announced the clearance of the passport backlog which had stood at 609,805 applications, thanks to a combination of new technologies and expanded services.
Making the announcement, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the efforts are part of a broader initiative to streamline government services and serve citizens better, particularly those seeking employment abroad.
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"We have cleared the backlog of 609,805 passports. So basically, there is no backlog now," Mudavadi said.
Speaking on Thursday at Harambee House, Nairobi, Mudavadi highlighted the recent upgrades in the passport issuance system, including the introduction of two high-speed passport printers.
These new machines, capable of producing 500 passports per hour, have played a key role in reducing the backlog.
More immigration officers
The government has also bought one million passport booklets and recruited 300 new immigration officers to meet the growing demand.
However, despite the increased speed in processing, the government revealed that many processed passports remain uncollected.
As of the end of November, 65,589 passports were still waiting to be picked up across the country.
The Nairobi office recorded the highest number of uncollected passports at 30,916, followed by Mombasa (6,757), Embu (6,608), Kisii (6,130), and Eldoret (6,022).
To further ease access, the Directorate of Immigration and Citizen Services has also opened two new regional offices in Kericho and Bungoma.
These offices are part of an ongoing effort to take services closer to citizens and reduce the pressure on existing centres.
Mudavadi announced that three more regional offices would soon be opened in Garissa, Nyeri, and Machakos.
The government is also focusing on making passport services more accessible to Kenyans seeking to work abroad.
Migrant labour counters
Special migrant labour counters have been set up in these new offices to expedite passport applications for those travelling for employment.
This initiative aims to support the government's broader effort to secure foreign job opportunities for Kenyan workers.
Mudavadi also gave an update on the introduction of Kenya's visa-free regime, which has seen a surge in visa applications.
"The Directorate also successfully introduced and approved 1,465,560 eTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) applications following the introduction of the visa-free regime in Kenya," he said.
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