Collect your passport within six months or else

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Passport applicants at the Immigration Department at Nyayo House in Nairobi. [Boniface Okendo Standard]

You have at least six months to collect your passport, the Immigration Department has warned.

Uncollected passports within the given period will be disposed.

In a circular on Thursday, August 1, Immigration PS Julius Bitok revealed that at least 110,000 passports remain uncollected at various centers across Kenya.

"To free up limited storage space, applicants are notified that the Department of Immigration will dispose of all uncollected passports six months from the date of this notice," said Bitok.

According to the records, Nairobi has the highest number of uncollected passports at 55,504, followed by Kisumu with 11,707, Embu with 10,816, Mombasa with 8,696, Nakuru with 8,615, Eldoret with 8,551, Kisii with 5,719, Kericho with 389, and Bungoma with 62.

"The disposal is in line with Section 31 of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act and Regulations, the Disposal of Uncollected Goods Act (CAP 38), and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations on the delivery of travel documents," Bitok added.

The department has also suspended the requirement for applicants to book an appointment to collect their passports.

Per a presidential directive to facilitate travel for Kenyans pursuing job opportunities abroad, Bitok said they have set up a dedicated Migrant Labour counters to expedite passport applications.

"Applicants seeking this service are advised to present their papers, which must include documents of proof of intent issued by the relevant institutions," said the PS.

The department further said it had cleared the backlog of unprinted passports, in line with its promises.