Kenyan Embassy in Berlin to Start Issuing ePassports

The Kenyan Embassy in Berlin has this week officially announced plans to start issuing the new ePassport. A welcome announcement to all that can currently not afford to travel to Kenya for the travel document.

In a message posted on the Kenyan Embassy website, the embassy expects to start issuing the new ePassports some time in the first quarter of this year i.e. from around March 2019.

The application process is expected to continue on the eCitizen platform with some exceptions for the diaspora applicants, which will be announced as soon as the systems are up and running in Berlin.

Although the launch of the processing centre in Berlin will save applicants the trip to Nyayo House (or any other processing centre in Kenya), they will still have to travel to Berlin for their biometric data to be captured. I hope the Embassy will update their working hours to allow applicants flying in from other towns to be attended to.

The announcement on the Kenyan Embassy website is the first official communication shared on this matter since a video of the CS of
Interior and Coordination of National Government announcing Berlin would be an official Processing Centre was made public.

According to the Director of Immigration Alexander Muteshi, there are plans to review the list of requirements for those replacing their old passports with the ePassports following complaints made by Kenyans online. Also, there are discussions to find out if the government can contract companies in the diaspora instead of forcing people to travel to Kenya or the processing centres in the diaspora.

UPDATE: April 2019

Earlier this year we announced the Kenyan Embassy in Berlin will start issuing the new ePassport. Many of you have been asking how far that is. Unfortunately, the timeline given by GoK was too ambitious BUT the first phase has been completed and issuance of the passport is expected to begin in the second half of the year.

My estimation is the first passports shall be issued in September. If you’re on a temporary residence permit (befristete Aufenthaltstitel) and your passport will be expiring before then, please make arrangements early to either get the analog passport or to fly home and get the new ePassport.

UPDATE: May 2019

https://www.facebook.com/mkenyaujerumani/posts/2235864273117112