Matiang’i extends deadline for phasing out old passports to December 31, 2021

The government has now extended the e-passport deadline by a further 10 months until December 31, 2021 due to COVID-19 disruptions.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i, according to a statement sent to newsrooms on Thursday, said starting January 1, 2022 the old 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.

The CS warned that this would be the last extension, hence urging all Kenyans to make the necessary arrangements and acquire the electronic passports at the earliest opportunity possible to avoid travelling inconveniencies.

“The Government of Kenya has been in the process of phasing out the old-generation passports as part of the binding commitment made to migrate to the new East African Community biometric e-passport,” read the statement.

“However, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Directorate of Immigration Services scaled down its operations in an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus.”

It further added: “To make up for the disruption in service, the Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Fred Matiang’i, has extended the deadline for voiding the old passport by a further 10 months until December 31st, 2021.”