The US embassy, Nairobi, on Wednesday issued an update regarding an earlier directive that they would no longer grant entry to Kenyans who were still using non-digital passports.
In a new directive, the consulate has reversed it's previous stance that all Visa applicants needed to possess the new e-passport in order to both collect their Visas as well as gain entry into the United States.
"Visa applicants may apply for a US visa with a non-digital Kenyan passport. We will place a US visa in a non-digital passport until further notice. Holders of current US visas do not need to take any action," US embassy tweeted.
Several Kenyans had questioned the consulate's initial move to bar individuals who were yet to attain the new e-passport from travelling to the US, citing how inconvenient it would have been for those who had already gotten their Visas using the old passports.
"How is this practical? You already issued them with Visa's, their old passports are valid, they will be in the US during the month of May only and they have already purchased tickets," Njoroge Ikonye commented.
The latest directive has moved to allay fears that travellers would be denied entry into America, with the embassy affirming that the old generation passport was still acceptable.
"Yes you can travel with your old passport," the embassy tweeted following queries on what the new update meant.
Adding that they would continue processing Visas using the old generation passports for the time being.
The e-passport was an initiative by the East African Community to synchronise passports across the region in order to enhance faster clearance at points of entry and exit.
Recently, Head of Public Service, Joseph Kinyua, decreed that all government officers who hadn't switched to the new digital passport would no longer be able to make foreign trips.
