Immigration Dept says Nairobi office to open Saturday for passport collection

Kenyans who have applied for passports in Nairobi and received notifications to collect the documents can do so from the Immigration offices at Nyayo House this Saturday.

This is according to the State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services, which has announced that the Nairobi office will be operational tomorrow from 9 am to 1pm.

"To expedite the collection of passports, our Nairobi office will be open on Saturday May 18, 2024 from 9am to 1pm," said the Immigration Department in the notice.

"Applicants who applied for passports in Nairobi and have received notifications to collect their passports are encouraged to take advantage of the extended service."

The development comes as a response to the persistent challenges experienced by passport applicants over the past three years.

On Wednesday, the National Assembly’s Committee on National Administration and Internal Security advocated for new passport applications to be processed within a three-day timeframe.

Led by Committee Chair and Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, the MPs recommended the establishment of additional immigration offices nationwide to fast-track the passport application process.

As it stands, there are only eight immigration offices across the country, with many Kenyans forced to travel huge distances to apply for the essential travel documents.

“With adequate resourcing, targeting a maximum of three days for applicants to be issued with passports is realistic. This should be feasible, especially with the opening of more offices in other parts of the country,” Tongoyo said then.