The government has issued a clarification ahead of the deadline for the phasing out of the old-generation Kenyan passports set for end of November.
In a statement by the Department of Immigration Services Director General Alexander Muteshi, Kenyans can still renew old passports even after the deadline.
He explained that the November 30 timeline was to mark the end of the issuance of the dark-blue travel booklets.
"Kenya will migrate fully to using the new EAC Community passport on Dec 1.
"However, renewal and replacement of the old generation Kenya passport will continue normally in all our passport application centers locally and in our missions after this deadline," Muteshi clarified.
The phaseout will see Kenyan citizens seeking to travel out of the country issued with the digital East African Community digital passport in compliance with regional agreements.
"Pursuant to the EAC Council of Minister's meeting, Kenya is bound to migrate fully to the new East African Community biometric e-passport," the DG announced on September 22.
The new passport will have new benefits including allowing free movement of citizens of the EAC member states.
Initially proposed in 2016, the full migration took 6 years to take effect after being subjected to delays including the shutdown of most government offices during the pandemic.
Kenyans can apply for the new passport online through their e-citizen accounts and submit duly filled forms physically at immigration offices countrywide.
They will then be required to avail themselves for biometric registration. A passport will cost between Ksh4,550 and Ksh12,000 depending on the pagination and reason for replacement.
They include Ordinary "A" Series (Ksh4,550), Ordinary “B” Series (Ksh 6,050), Ordinary “C” Series (Ksh 7,550), Diplomatic Passport (Ksh 7,550), Mutilated Passport (Ksh 10,050) and Lost Passport (Ksh 12,050).
