The Directorate of Immigration Services and the Ministry of Interior issued a statement to the public after they experienced a major public uproar, which resulted in multiple organizations declaring an urgent need to resolve the passport shortage and sudden increase in document costs, which had disrupted the travel plans of many applicants.
The government issued passport guarantees through its official statement, which was published on 6 February 2026, to respond to the citizens’ complaints, which had been received from all parts of the nation.
The crisis erupted when cheaper passport options—the **34-page “A” and 50-page “B” booklets—suddenly disappeared from the eCitizen online portal, leaving only the 66-page passport costing KSh12,500 available for new applications and standard renewals. This abrupt removal effectively raised the entry cost for all applicants, hitting low-income travellers and job seekers hardest and fueling public backlash.
The officials from immigration announced their present situation through their official statement, which confirmed ongoing staff shortages and their dedication to expedited processing work while they need to restore complete service capabilities. The ministry stated that it will increase its efforts to provide all passport series for public distribution, which will eliminate extra processing time and additional charges that applicants currently experience during the resolution procedure.
The government has not yet provided any details about the reason for removing the less expensive passport options from the system nor about their scheduled return despite making a commitment to deliver prompt results.
The current shortage occurs during the period of highest demand because many Kenyans need passports to pursue job opportunities abroad and pursue education and travel internationally. Experts warn that prolonged unavailability and higher costs will discourage legal travel while creating economic barriers that particularly affect citizens who want to work overseas.
The Immigration Directorate’s guarantees work to reduce public unrest, yet people have reached their limit. The government needs to show immediate progress because people have started to lose trust in its ability to provide services after they experienced long waiting times at regional offices and faced online access difficulties.
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