Nyayo House, Nairobi
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The Kenyan government has allocated an additional Sh5.9 billion to the State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services, according to the newly released supplementary budget.
The funding aims to streamline the issuance of critical documents, including e-passports, electronic travel authorizations (eTA), and third-generation identity cards, as demand intensifies due to Kenyans seeking opportunities abroad. The supplementary budget elevates the department's total financial resources for the current fiscal year to Sh20.1 billion, a substantial increase from the initial allocation of Sh14.3 billion. Revised estimates from the Treasury indicate that the additional funds will address shortfalls in personal emoluments, enhance e-citizen services, improve the eTA system, and support the production of third-generation identity cards and e-passports.
The Exchequer has set ambitious targets for the Immigration State Department, contingent on the increased budget. These targets include improved maintenance of the eTA system and doubling the procurement of passport booklets from one million to two million. E-Citizen ICT services are also expected to expand, with the goal of integrating an additional 4,000 services, bringing the total to 15,000 government services available through the platform by June. This is an increase from the previous target of 11,000.
Key performance indicators have been revised to emphasize the full system rollout of the National Registration of Persons Bureau. The majority of the supplementary funds will be directed toward immigration services (Sh3.5 billion) and e-Citizen services (Sh2 billion). The National Registration Bureau and Civil Registration Services will receive Sh115.9 million and Sh100 million, respectively, while the remaining Sh125 million will be allocated for general administration and planning.
The Directorate of Immigration currently faces an estimated daily demand of 5,000 passport applications, highlighting the urgent need for efficient travel and official document processing. The increased procurement of passport booklets is intended to alleviate the persistent backlog in passport processing, which has been attributed to both booklet shortages and system malfunctions. In 2022, the department issued 426,137 passports, a marked increase from the 129,090 issued in 2020 when the pandemic disrupted application and processing procedures.
Last March, then-Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki informed Parliament that the immigration department required three million passport booklets every 90 days, while the available supply stood at only 1.5 million.
The additional financial resources allocated to the State Department of Immigration and Citizen Services are expected to expedite the issuance of essential travel documents, enabling more Kenyans to pursue employment and educational opportunities abroad.