Kenyans ordered to replace their old generation passports by end of November

Kenyans have until November to renew their old-generation passports for the new East African Community (EAC) biometric e-passport.

in a statement released on Thursday September 22, Immigration Director-General Alexander Muteshi instructed Kenyans to acquire the digital passports by November 30, 2022.

“The Directorate of Immigration Services wishes to inform the general public that Kenya is bound to migrate fully to the new East African Community biometric e-passport by 30th November 2022,” said Muteshi.

“Kenyans are therefore hereby advised to acquire the new Biometric e-passport to avoid any inconveniences.”

In November 2021, the EAC Council of Ministers agreed to phase out the old passports for all member states by November 2022.

However, the deadline for acquiring the EAC passport has seen several adjustments, the latest being the fourth. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2019 extended the deadline to March 2020.

The EAC e-passport has a special chip which holds information that is printed on the data page such as the holder’s name, as well as other biodata including fingerprints.