By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, June 23, 2026 - Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services Dr. Belio Kipsang has outlined major reforms being implemented to improve access to identity and travel documents, citing significant gains in service delivery driven by technology and regional integration initiatives.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration, Dr. Kipsang said the State Department has enhanced efficiency through the deployment of more than 600 live capture units across the country. The initiative has reduced national identity card production timelines to seven days, with over 1.5 million IDs issued in the past five months.
The PS also announced a nationwide mobile registration exercise targeting more than 1.1 million students who have reached the age of 18, enabling them to acquire national identity cards with greater ease. In addition, the department is conducting public sensitization campaigns on the revised National Registration Guidelines to promote inclusive access to registration services.
On regional integration, Dr. Kipsang informed the committee that Kenya is fully compliant with regional agreements governing the East African Biometric e-Passport. He noted that passport processing times have been significantly reduced and now range between three and seven days.
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He further highlighted the role of regional initiatives such as the Interstate Pass in facilitating smoother cross-border movement within the East African Community, supporting trade, travel, and regional cooperation.
Dr. Kipsang reaffirmed the State Department's commitment to leveraging technology to improve service delivery, deepen regional integration, and ensure that every eligible Kenyan can access citizenship and travel documents efficiently and conveniently.