Govt has released new guidelines for passport applications.
The Ministry of Interior has issued new vital service rules, including a promise to cut the number of days it takes to produce passports.
The Interior Ministry has vowed to handle all passport applications within five working days after receipt.
The Kithure Kindiki-led ministry claimed in amending the passport waiting time, “We believe that responses from Kenyans are the basic ingredients for effective and efficient service delivery.”
Currently, applications are being delayed, with some Kenyans reporting that their documents have taken more than six months to obtain, preventing them from traveling overseas for treatment or school.
This is not the first time the government has pledged to expedite passport processing; in June, the ministry said that it would acquire a new printing equipment to help clear the backlog.
The government committed in the same month to process the key travel document within a week, including all backlogs dating back to last year.
Two months later, the passport problems have remained, with huge lines and significant delays for applicants.
Some candidates have reported on social media that they were asked for bribes and, in desperation, paid amounts ranging from Ksh5,000 to Ksh15,000 to individuals posing as State employees.
Passport processing delays have been blamed on corruption at the Department of Immigration and the failure of printing machinery.
The department has urged applicants who require the paperwork quickly to call their offices and give proof of urgency.
Applicants, however, have alleged on social media sites that their attempts to expedite their applications have been faced with roadblocks, including inactive phone lines to reach immigration officials.
The Interior Ministry’s amended service charter also states that foreigners would receive visas within 48 hours of submitting an online application.
Govt has released new guidelines for passport applications.
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