Meet ePassport: The New East African Passport

The Kenyan Government recently launched a new generation set of Passports known as the East African Passport. Plans to roll out secure e-passports is already in progress. We are living in a Digital Age indeed and now the Government is leading the way in digitizing most of its services.

e-passport Features

The East African Passport, is an initiative by the East Africa Community. Kenya is the first country to roll out the new passport. However, the e-Passport will also be rolled out simultaneously across the other member countries.

The E-passport has a secure electronic chip that will store the same information just like the old model passport. The E-passport will also include the following:

• Biometric Identifier
• Digital Photograph or the holder
• Security features that will help prevent unauthorized use and forgery.

The new electronic e-passport will be highly secure and difficult to duplicate compared to the existing passports. The electronic passports provide travelers with benefits such:

• The use of automated border clearance or “E-gates”
• Automated issuance of boarding passes
• And faster travel arrangements with airlines

How do I Get the East African Passport?

If you want to apply for the E-passport, you must present yourself at the immigration office so they can take your details biometrically. The officials will take your photograph, fingerprints, and a signature.

If you have the old passport, please note you will have to replace it and you have up to two years to do so before the old one is phased out and rendered invalid.

Update: The online application for the e-Passport is now done online through the eCitizen platform.

What are the charges for applying for an e-passport?

You will have to pay between KES 4500 – 6500 to get your passport depending on the pages you want.

You will also have to wait for 10 working days from the day you applied to get yourself the E-passport.

How does the New E-passport Look like?

The picture above is how the Kenyan E-passport will look like. As you can see the new logo is at the bottom which is the symbol for a biometric passport.