How to Know If Your Passport is Ready in Kenya

You can know if your passport is ready in Kenya if you are an applicants with pending passport applications or are yet to collect your passport either by SMS shortcode 22222, Online Tracking or Via Tracking Number. Track the status of your application as described below in details:-

1. Tracking By SMS

The SMS tracking capability is one of the best, considering its easy accessibility. One doesn't require an Internet connection to access the service, but only a mobile carrier and a mobile device using any of the available mobile service providers in Kenya.

One of the most benefitting advancements in the use of SMS which is sent directly to your mobile phone to see the status of your application if it is ready for pick up or not. This process has also been installed in the process of passport renewal. This will save you the stress and even the cost of visiting the immigration office weekly or even daily; this service has been designed to help save time, cost, energy and end unnecessary complaints to the immigration offices. 

The passport tracking service utilizes the short code 22222, and you can do it using the following steps:

• Open the messages app on your phone and start a new message.
• On the recipient area, enter 22222 and type your eCitizen application number issued during submission of your application, usually starts with [EPP1-A. or CPP1-A.]
• Press the Send button once you have verified that all the information has been entered correctly. You will receive an SMS showing either your passport is ready for collection or is in processing or the number is not valid.

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Note:  Ordinarily, the service costs Kshs. 5 per SMS sent.

The help or customer care number is ±254 110-923422 or +254 110-923423

2. Online Tracking

Today, all passport applications are done online after creating an account on the ecitizen.go.ke portal that holds various government services. Therefore, after a successful application, one can track their passport’s status through the platform when logged in to their accounts.

The status could be Accepted, Rejected, or Ready For Collection. The online passport status system in Kenya is very efficient in providing people with relevant information regarding their passport status. You can regularly check, as much as you desire to know your passport.

3. Via Tracking Number

Using the tracking number availed on the photo token receipt, you can now proceed to track the status of your passport.

• Visit the Posta Kenya passport tracking booking and collection portal (https://passport.posta.co.ke/) of the Postal Corporation of Kenya
• Enter the 10-digit tracking number
• Click on ‘Track my passport’

The above process may result in two of the following scenarios:

• The tracking number not found; implying that your passport is not yet ready and may need to wait longer.

• The search option opens up, meaning your passport is ready and you should proceed to book for delivery by providing your full name, ID number, email address, phone number and preferred post office and then proceed to make payment for the same (parcel delivery).

Reminder on Old Passport to New Biometric Application Passports Deadline

The Government of Kenya gave out a directive to deface all the old passports to new biometric ones as provided for by the East African Community Member States. Kenyans are still urged to ensure they have completed with the application to avoid late or past due application. The new biometric passport will ensure that no restrictions will be experienced when anyone visits any country around the globe.

The actual deadline periods will be met by the end of November 2022.

N/B. If your tracking number is not found the chances are it's not been dispatched yet. Please be patient though if it's taken longer than expected you might need to physically go find out from their offices.

Latest Updates on passport status

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT MINISTRY OF INTERIOR AND NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION STATE DEPARTMENT FOR IMMIGRATION AND CITIZEN SERVICES OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY PRESS STATEMENT UPDATE ON PASSPORTS

The Directorate of Immigration Services has received 112,700passport bookletscomprising 92,400,50-page (B-series) and 20,300,66-page (C- series) last evening. This consignment is in addition to 50,000,50-page booklets received last week.

Additional booklets, including the 34-page (A-series), have already been procured and are expected in the country from next month.

The issuance of passports will be prioritised on a first-in-first-out basis. Applicants with pending 34-page passports who have an urgent need to travel are advised to upgrade their applications to the 50-page booklet through the eCitizen portal. No physical visit to Immigration offices is necessary to apply for the upgrade.

Applicants with pending applications and those who are yet to collect their passports can track the status of their applications by sending an SMS with their eCitizen application reference code to 22222.

To enhance the passport issuance capacity and reduce the waiting time, the Directorate has procured two modern passport printing machines that will be ready for commissioning by April 2024. Additional servers have also been installed to stabilise the system and secure relevant data.

Further, the Directorateis currently undertaking a comprehensive infrastructural upgrade of its facilities to provide a user-friendly environment and to accommodate the high rise in the number of clients.

PROF. (AMB) JULIUS BITOK, CBS PRINCIPAL SECRETARYMarch 21, 2024

On 7th of August, 2023 the government issued a press release indicating that they are working on clearing the 40,000 pending passport in a couple of days and apologized for the challenges with the printers malfunctioning.