The Department of Immigration and Citizen Services has implemented a revised fee structure for various citizen services, as outlined in a memo from the Ministry of Interior on February 29, following the publication of the updated charges on November 14, 2023.
For ID card applications, Kenyans are now required to pay Sh300, a change from the previous free service. The fee for replacing a lost ID has also increased to Sh1,000 from the earlier rate of 100 shillings.
Birth and death certificate charges have been adjusted, with the cost of obtaining these documents increased to Sh200 from the previous fee of Sh50. Late registration of births or deaths will now incur a charge of Sh500, up from Sh150.
Passport application fees have seen a significant increase, with the cost for an ordinary 34-page passport rising to Sh7,500 from Sh4,500. The charges for 50-page and 66-page passports have also been revised to Sh9,500 and Sh12,500, respectively, up from Sh6,000 and Sh7,500. Replacing a lost or mutilated passport will now cost Sh20,000, compared to the previous fee of Sh12,000.
Changes have been introduced in citizenship-related fees, including an increase in the fee for regaining Kenyan citizenship to Sh50,000 from Sh5,000. Additionally, the fee for renouncing citizenship has been raised to Sh50,000 from Sh20,000, and applications for citizenship by marriage will now cost Sh50,000, up from Sh5,000.
Permanent residence application fees have been adjusted as well. Children born outside Kenya applying for permanent residence will now need to pay Sh750,000, increased from Sh500,000. Spouses of Kenyan citizens applying for permanent residence will be charged Sh150,000, up from Sh50,000.
In February, Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki acknowledged the challenges facing the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, taking responsibility for the slow pace of reforms. The department has faced delays in providing efficient services, affecting Kenyans’ access to critical documents, including passports, with the acknowledgment of systemic inefficiencies prompting the need for urgent reforms.
