The Directorate of Immigration Services has warned Kenyans against using brokers in an attempt to skip the e-citizen appointment system while applying for passports.
Director-General Alexander Muteshi said Thursday anyone who opts to go through brokers will not have their documents approved.
“The public is strongly advised to avoid engaging brokers who use unorthodox means to attempt to bypass the e-citizen appointment system. We have in place measures to detect these attempts and no service will be rendered to such cases,” he said in a statement.
Most passport applicants have in the past complained that they are forced to pay bribes to the long appointment dates available on the e-citizen platform.
This has encouraged corruption and created the perception this is the norm therein.
Muteshi said the department has put in place a Special Desk at Nyayo House to address urgent and emergency passport application cases.
“Passport applicants may present their requests for rescheduling appointments for bio-metrics as well as fast-tracking issuance of passports at the special desk, provided that they attach the documentary evidence,” he added.
Muteshi said passport services will be accessed by appointment only booked on the e-Citizen portal during the application process.
The application of the document in Kenya takes at least two weeks or more for an applicant to get their first passport once they have physically submitted application forms at the Immigration offices.
Some unscrupulous Kenyans have however taken advantage of the current Covid-19 pandemic to fleece Kenyans of their hard-earned cash with a promise of quick passport processing.
And as part of efforts to address the issue, the department has established a hotline to process urgent passport requests.
Muteshi said some medical, scholarship and return to work cases had been classified as urgent.
Those in need of services are to call 0110922065 or send an email to [email protected].
Individuals who need to travel abroad to seek medical attention, those who need to travel to school abroad with short notice and employees who need to return to work will be given priority.
The Immigration Department has been offering online services following MoH guidelines to reduce the spread of the virus.
As part of efforts to enhance service delivery, the government announced Kenyans will now have their passports delivered at their doorsteps following the signing of a memorandum of agreement between Posta Kenya and immigration in June 2021.
Muteshi said the initiative will reduce the numerous unnecessary trips by applicants to Nyayo House.
Kenyans will only be required to make a single visit to the immigration offices to submit the hard copy of the application and give their biometrics.
PostMaster General Dan Kagwe said the partnership will ensure proper service to all calibre of Kenyans through the wide Posta network in the country and reduce contact due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 200,000 passports have been delivered since the initial inception of the services in September 2020.
The other services that will be rendered in the partnership are automated Visa applications, work permits and passes, citizenship and alien cards.
Edited by D Tarus