Home » Uncategorized » Why is it difficult for Kenyans now to apply for or collect passports? Why is it difficult for Kenyans now to apply for or collect passports?
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
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The Immigration Department recently conveyed reasons for current interruptions affecting those attempting to apply for or collect their passports. As reported, the department is grappling with system downtime impacting both the passport application reception and the collection services. The issue was publicly acknowledged by the department through a statement on a social platform, indicating that their engineers are actively working to rectify the problem and restore normal operations promptly.
Key Points from the Immigration Department’s Announcement:
- System Downtime: There is an ongoing downtime in the passport application and collection systems, which is preventing the processing and issuance of passports.
- Resolution Efforts: Engineers are engaged in fixing the issues to resume standard services as swiftly as possible.
- Apology for Inconvenience: The department has issued an apology to all affected applicants and assured them that they are making every effort to address the situation.
- Future Appointments: Those impacted by the current downtime will be notified about alternative dates for their passport applications and collections.
Additionally, the statement mentioned recent developments aimed at improving passport services:
- New Equipment: The acquisition of two new passport printing machines was highlighted as a significant step towards mitigating the backlog of passport applications.
- Financial and Operational Improvements: Payments of pending supplier bills and resolutions of supply chain constraints were completed to enhance the processing capabilities.
- Backlog Clearance: A previously substantial backlog of 724,000 passports as of mid-March has been addressed, with 50,000 applications ready for delivery by mid-April.
- Processing Time Reduction: By May 1, 2024, the processing time for passport applications is expected to decrease to 21 days, with further reductions planned for the following months, aiming for a turnaround time of three days by early September 2024.
This comprehensive response from the Immigration Department outlines their proactive measures to not only fix the immediate technical issues but also to improve the overall efficiency and reliability of passport services going forward.
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