Bitok: We are printing over 10,000 passports daily
Bitok said one million booklets procured will last until April 2025.
1mon agoPERPETUA ETYANGRealtime
The government has announced improvements in the application, processing, and issuance of Kenyan passports and national identity cards.
State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services PS Prof. Julius Bitok, said the enhancements aim to streamline service delivery, reduce delays, and ensure greater efficiency in meeting the needs of citizens both locally and abroad.
Appearing before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday to respond to audit queries for the Auditor-General's Report for the financial year ending June 30, 2023, Bitok told MPs that passport processing time has reduced from three months to seven days.
He noted that production capacity has increased to 10,000 passports daily due to new printers and expanded application counters.
"First, we acquired two new printers, increasing our production capacity to about 10,000 passports daily. Additionally, we expanded the application counters at Nyayo House from 14 to 40, effectively decongesting the facility and enhancing efficiency.”
Bitok also noted that the government has acquired one million pouches, eliminating shortages.
“Passport issuance is one area
where we have significantly improved service delivery. When we assumed office
two years ago, it took approximately three months for applicants to receive
their passports. Today, the process has been streamlined to take a maximum of
seven days—from application to printing and collection,” he explained.
To further decongest Nyayo House and enhance efficiency, the PS noted that initially, only one wing was used for both passport applications and collections.
“Now, both wings are operational, with the northern wing designated for applications and the southern wing for collections,” he stated.
He also emphasised improvements in passport booklet availability.
“Previously, the government acquired about 300,000 booklets annually. Since we took office, we have increased this to one million booklets per year. As a result, we no longer face shortages of Series B or Series C booklets. We currently have sufficient stock to meet demand through December next year,” he stated.
"We have also made significant strides in supporting labor migration. Recognising the growing number of people seeking opportunities abroad, we have established dedicated counters to handle job approval applications. These applications are processed swiftly, ensuring applicants receive their passports on time.”
He noted that for emergency cases, they have streamlined the process to deliver passports within 24 hours, enabling individuals to address urgent needs promptly.
He added that they have expanded reach by opening more offices to bring the services closer to the people.
“We have opened new passport offices in Kericho and Bungoma counties to bring services closer to the people,” the PS affirmed.
“We are also planning to establish another office in Machakos County, in line with our vision of ensuring every region in Kenya has a passport office. This will enable all Kenyans to access their passports more efficiently.”
However, the PS expressed concern over a backlog of approximately 65,000 passports that have been printed but remain uncollected despite multiple reminders to their owners.
Mathioya MP Edwin Gichuki Mugo raised the issue of delays in processing birth and death certificates, noting their importance for succession cases and school admissions.
“You have explained the milestones in the application and processing of passports, but what is the state department doing to address the challenges Kenyans face in obtaining birth and death certificates, which are crucial documents?” he asked.
Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera voiced concerns about delays in issuing national identity cards to students in some sub-counties.
Subukia MP Samuel Gachobe questioned the department's efforts to safeguard data
The PS revealed that the registration of birth certificates now takes only one week, thanks to a shift towards digital processes, with 90 per cent of registrations currently conducted online.
