Kenyan passport

Kenyan E-passport
The front cover a contemporary Kenyan E-passport.
Type	Passport
Issued by	Directorate of Immigration and Registration of Persons.
First issued	1st September 2017 (current version)
Purpose	Identification
Valid in	All countries
Eligibility	Kenyan citizenship
Expiration	10 years
Cost	34 Pages Ordinary "A" Series Kshs. 4550. 50 pages Ordinary "B" Series Kshs. 6050. 66 Pages Ordinary "C" Series kshs.7550. East African passport ksh.990. Mutilated Passport Kshs 10,050. Lost Passport Kshs 12,050.

The Kenya passport is issued to Kenya citizens in accordance with the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 and as provided for in the Kenya Citizens and Immigration Act that commenced on 30th August 2011. In addition issuance process is regulated by Legal Notice No. 64 (the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations, 2012). If eligible, an individual can apply for a New Passport, Renewal Passport and Replacement Passport. Passports are issued by the Department of Immigration. The department is under the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government.

Bio-metric passport

As of September 2017, Kenya commenced issuing the new East African format ePassport. Directorate of Immigration and Registration of Persons, Gordon Kihalangwa, said on a live Twitter chat that tracking individuals’ movements will become easier with the ePassport. This is inline with digitization of Kenya. The new e-systems will improve efficiency and rid out loop holes and enhance security this one of Kenya's goal in vision 2030. The new bio-metric passport contains the holders bio-data such as finger prints, digitally stored photo and signature among others.

Features of the Kenyan Bio-metric passport;

• –Electronic chip holding the same information as the old model passport
• –Bio-metric identifier
• –Digital photograph of the passport holder
• –Security features to prevent unauthorized use and forgery.
• –Details of the ePassport will be registered with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Also to be noted is that the new color adopted on the Kenyan ordinary passport, Light blue are the official colors of the East African community The new ePassport will be available as of 1 September 2017. The old ordinary passport will be phased out by 31 August 2019 and they will be rendered unusable and cease to being recognized as travel documents. Holders of existing old format passports are strongly advised to apply for the new ePassport before this date. All new passport applications are processed via the Kenya Government E-citizen portal https://immigration.ecitizen.go.ke/index.php?id=4.

validity

According to the department of immigration under ministry of interior and National coordination, and read together with the Kenyan constitution. Kenyan passports are valid for ten (10) years after date of issuance. Also to be noted is, children and persons under eighteen (18) years are required to have their own government issued passport separate from the parent. Minors application is done on the parents e-citizen account and clearly one selects "minor application". Fees are the same as for adults and validity is also ten (10) years.

valid jurisdictions

The Kenyan passport is valid in all Commonwealth countries and all foreign nations.

Registration

Kenya citizens abroad should at the earliest opportunity register the names and addresses at the nearest Kenya mission or when there is no Kenya representative, with the nearest United kingdom representative. Changes of the address or departure from the country should also be notified. Failure to do so may in a period of emergency result in difficult or delay in according them assistance or protection.

Caution

The passport remains the property of the government of Kenya and maybe withdrawn at any time. It is a valuable document and should not be altered in way or allowed to pass in to possession of unauthorized persons.If lost or destroyed, the facts and circumstances should be reported immediately to passport office in Nairobi, or Kenya mission abroad or local police. New passports can only be issued in such case after an exhaustive inquiries.

Languages

Kenya has two official languages which are English and Swahili in all government and legal documents both languages are used. In some cases for the Kenyan passport french is also used.

Types of passports

There are three types of passports:

• -Diplomatic (maroon cover): Issuable to Kenyan diplomats accredited overseas and their eligible dependents and to citizens who reside in the foreign country.

Kenyan Diplomatic E-passport

• -Ordinary (light blue cover): Issuable to Kenyan citizens while traveling abroad, valid for 10 years

• -East African passport (light blue cover): Issuable to Kenyans for travel within the East African Community,

valid for six months and usable for multiple entry into: Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.

East African passport only for Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and burundi

Appearance

Kenyan passports have the Kenyan coat of arms emblazoned in gold in the center of the front cover. The words "EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY” are inscribed at the top followed by "REPUBLIC OF KENYA" is inscribed in gold text above the coat of arms, while "PASSPORT" is inscribed in gold text below it. The back cover is left blank.

The passport note occupies the first page of the passport, and the particulars page occupies the last. The identity information page is printed on the inside of the passport's back cover, while the person's particulars and signature are on the next-to-last page. The pages of Kenyan passports are watermarked with the Kenyan coat of arms. The pages feature designs with the 'big five game' animals commonly found in Kenyan national parks and reserves: the lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and Buffalo.

The inside front cover of the passport reads first in Swahili:

Hati hii ni ya kuwaomba na kuwasihi kwa jina la Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kenya, wote wanaohusika, kwa kusudi wamruhusu mwenye hati hii kuendelea bila shida ama kizuizi, tena kumsaidia na kumhifadhi kwa kadiri anavyohitaji.

And in English:

These are to request and require in the Name of the President of Kenya all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford him or her every assistance and protection of which he or she may stand in need.

Identity information page

The last page f the kenyan passport is security laminated and contains the following data:

• -Photo of passport owner.
• -Type of document (P=Passport)
• -Code of issuing country (K=Kenya)
• -Passport number. Six (6) numbers and one alphabetical letter like shown "B227957"
• -Reference number or known as file number.
• -Surname.
• -Given Names.
• -Date of issue.
• -Sex
• -Date of issue.
• -Date of expiry.
• -Nationality.
• -Place of birth.
• -Authority that issued passport.

The page ends with a two line machine machine readable zone, according to ICAO standard 9303. There is also a holographic 3D copy of the owners picture, Holographic copy of the two machine readable lines Security features seen under special UV light. Holographic micro printing and kinematic elements.

Bio-metric page of a Kenyan passport.

Bio-metric page of a Kenyan passport.

RFID chip and bio-metric certificate

Since September 1st 2017, Kenyan passports have had a contact-less smart card (proximity card) chip and 13.56 MHz loop antenna embedded in the front cover page, in accordance with ICAO standards. The chip and antenna and are not visually recognized, but their presence is indicated by ICAO bio-metric passport symbol at the bottom. It carries all the bio-metric data printed on the passport, JPEG file photo, digitally protected by a signature. Also an alphanumeric pseudorandomly assigned high-entropy serial number which is 45 bits. This improves the crypto-graphic strength of the basic access control (BAC) mechanism of the RFID chip, which makes brute force attack near impossible.

Application process

Application for all passport services is done online via https://www.ecitizen.go.ke/ For a new applicant, the process starts with creation of an account on the online portal. An applicant cannot use someone else's account because the account creation details are the official first name and national ID number. Additionally, an applicant must print the online application, and copies of the payment invoice, then present these and other documents in person. Issuance of new passports usually takes place at least 10 working days after the application is received. In order to apply for a passport, one would need:

• Documentary evidence of Kenyan citizenship in the form of a birth certificate and national identity card, plus details and identity card of parent(s).
• In case of previous citizenship to another country, a Certificate of Naturalization or Registration.
• Passport size photographs.
• Photocopy of the recommender's valid Kenya national identity card-who signed on page 3, section 7 of the application form.
• Parents' or legal guardians' written consent, in the case of an applicant who is below the age of eighteen years.
• Special cases: Lost, mutilated, damaged passport. Application for replacement of any must be accompanied by a statutory declaration or sworn affidavit on the circumstances surrounding the loss, theft or damage of the passport or travel document. And be accompanied by their Identification card and birth certificate.
• Previous passport (s) if any-(original and photocopy)
• Photocopy of a valid Kenya national identity card of the father or mother or both. If one (or both) is (are) deceased the copy (ies) of Death certificate (s) must be attached. The applicant has to provide one (two) photocopy (ies) of a valid Kenya National Identity card of other relative (s) to act as next of kin

Dual citizenship

According to the Kenya constitution a person can be a Kenyan citizen by birth or by registration. In the new constitution of 2010 unlike the previous one, allows a Kenyan citizen who acquires another countries citizenship after 27th august 2010, to have dual citizenship. He/she is required by law to immediately declare his status by completing:

• -Two sets of dully filled Form-2-declaration of dual citizenship and attach the following documents:
• -Two copies of proof of previous Kenyan citizenship (copy of passport, Birth certificate, Kenya National ID card).
• -Two copies of proof of the other country's citizenship.

Regaining citizenship

Persons who lost their kenyan citizenship before 27th august 2010 are entitiled to regain after filling:

• -Two copies of Form 5 "regain citizenship form" and attach the following.
• -Two copies of either: Kenyan passport, Kenya national ID card or birth certificate.
• -Two copies of proof of the other country of citizenship.

Visa requirements

As of 1 January 2018, Kenyan citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 72 countries and territories, ranking the Kenyan passport 67th in terms of travel freedom (tied with Omani passport) according to the Visa restriction index.

See also

• List of passports
• Visa requirements for Kenyan citizens