Gov’t extends acquisition of new generation e-passport to December 31

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 4 – Kenyans now have up until December 31, 2021 to acquire the second-generation e-passport after the original migration date was extended by 10 months.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i said the decision was necessary in order for the government to honor its, “binding commitment to migrate to the new East African Community e-passport.”

This is the second extension in months after the government.

Statistics reveal that close to 2 million Kenyans, including those in diaspora are yet to acquire the new East African Community e-passport.

The government was set to officially complete the phase out exercise of the old generation passport by March 2021.

But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CS Matiangi said, the Directorate of Immigration Services scaled down its operations in order to mitigate the spread of the virus.

“To make up for the disruption, I have extended the deadline by a further 10 months until December 31, 2021. Barring any unforeseeable circumstances this is the last extension and Kenyans are advised to make the necessary arrangements and acquire the electronic passports at the earliest opportunity possible to avoid traveling inconveniences,” he said.

The old generation passport -dark blue passport-will be null and void and no Kenyan will be able to travel internationally without a valid East African Community biometric e-passport starting January 1, 2022.

The EAC e-passport was unveiled in August 31, 2018 is fitted with the state of theart security features embedded in an electronic chip.

This is said to improve its competitiveness on the global stage while minimizing fraud, identity theft and forgery.

According Henley Passport Index Report, Kenya’s passport lost 13 positions on the mobility score as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, lowering its strength globally.

The mobility score measures the number of countries that a person holding the Kenyan passport can visit without having a visa or the nations where they can get visa on arrival.

The pandemic has seen the number of countries that Kenyans can travel drop from 74 in 2020 to 61 this year.

The Kenyan passport has also slid from being the seventh most powerful in Africa in 2020 to 11.