Immigration PS Announces 72-Hour ID Processing in New Reforms
The government has introduced a major reform in the way national identity cards (IDs) are processed, promising much faster service for citizens. Under the new system, applicants can now receive their ID cards in as little as one day, a move designed to improve efficiency, reduce long-standing delays, and make access to essential services easier for all Kenyans.
Immigration Principal Secretary, Belio Kipsang, stated that the changes are a result of significant investment in modern technology, which has completely streamlined both the application and production processes nationwide. The upgraded system is intended to ensure that every applicant experiences minimal waiting times.
During an interview on Friday, April 3, Kipsang revealed that individuals applying for IDs in Nairobi can now receive them on the very same day. This is a huge improvement from the previous system, which often required applicants to wait for weeks before collecting their documents.
For those living outside Nairobi, the processing time has also been greatly shortened. Applicants in other counties can now expect their IDs to be ready within three to seven days.
Kipsang emphasized, “Our cards are now delivered between three and seven days, and if you are in Nairobi, you can even get them on the same day. The level of technology we have put in place has made the process very fast and highly efficient.”
In addition to faster processing, the government has removed all fees previously required for obtaining or replacing ID cards.
This follows a directive from the President to scrap the charges, which were Ksh300 for new applications and Ksh1,000 for replacement cards.
The move is expected to make the process more accessible to all Kenyans, particularly those who had been struggling with the financial burden of fees.
Kipsang also addressed recent claims suggesting that the government is issuing national IDs to foreigners with the aim of influencing the 2027 General Election.
He firmly dismissed these allegations as baseless. He clarified that foreigners living in Kenya, including refugees and asylum seekers, are issued alien cards through a separate legal process.
These cards do not grant voting rights, meaning that foreign residents cannot vote in Kenyan elections. “For foreigners, there is a clear legal process they must follow. Refugees are issued alien cards, not national IDs, and without a Kenyan ID, one cannot participate in voting,” he explained.
This clarification comes amid growing debate over the removal of vetting requirements for new ID applicants.
The government maintains that the previous vetting system caused unnecessary delays and sometimes discrimination, leaving many Kenyans waiting for weeks to obtain their IDs. The new reforms aim to make the system fairer, faster, and more transparent.
Meanwhile, the government, through Huduma Kenya, has urged citizens to collect any unclaimed personal documents from service centres across the country.
This includes national IDs, smart driving licences, and birth certificates, which remain uncollected by thousands of applicants.
On Wednesday, April 1, Huduma Kenya reported that a significant number of personal documents are still idle in government offices.
According to the agency, at least 152,398 national IDs, 85,550 smart driving licences, and 28,550 birth certificates have not yet been collected.
The agency is calling on all citizens to retrieve these documents to ensure they can access essential services without unnecessary delays.
The new reforms signal a clear commitment by the government to leverage technology to improve public service delivery, reduce waiting times, and remove barriers that previously made obtaining essential identification documents difficult for many Kenyans.
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