Kenya Passport Documents & Checklist
Kenya issues ePassports to its citizens, applied for online through the eCitizen portal, with an in-person appointment at a Passport Processing Centre where you submit and enrol biometrics (photo capture / biometric). This checklist collects what the Directorate of Immigration Services (immigration.go.ke) states: how to apply, what to carry, the fees, the child and guardian rules, and how to collect. Verified against immigration.go.ke, October 2026.
What Kenya issues
The Directorate states:
“The Government of Kenya issues ePassports to her citizens valid for 10 years, in compliance with ICAO document 9303 and the East African Community Summit resolution, to enable them to travel abroad.”
So the document is a 10-year ePassport. Applications are made online and paid through the eCitizen portal, and the passport categories and fees are published by the Directorate.
How to apply, and where
The process, in the Directorate’s words:
“Passport applicants apply online and pay requisite fees through the eCitizen portal…Upon completing the application process and paying applicable fees, applicants are required to book appointment, through the eCitizen portal, and select any of the following Passport Processing Centres to submit Passport Applications and enrol biometrics (Photo Capture / Biometric).”
The nine Passport Processing Centres named are:
- Nairobi (Nyayo House)
- Kisumu
- Mombasa
- Eldoret
- Nakuru
- Embu
- Kisii
- Kericho
- Bungoma
Applicants from the Kenyan Diaspora can contact the nearest Kenya High Commission or Embassy for appointments and further assistance.
Documents to carry
The Directorate says the primary documents are your birth certificate and identity card, and that the two must match. From its FAQs:
- Birth certificate and ID — “Applicant primary document birth certificate and identity card (id) should contain the same information”; if your name or date of birth differs, correct it first at the civil registration service or the National Registration Bureau (NRB)
- Bring your documents even though you uploaded them — a passport is a security document, and originals are needed at the appointment
- A recommender’s ID copy is no longer required — “A recommender’s id copy is no longer a requirement”
- To collect: carry the invoice with its token, your original ID, and — for a replacement — the old passport booklet
If you find you are missing something on your appointment date, the Directorate advises you can reschedule or visit the customer care desk at your application centre. Consular services handle renewals and replacements from outside the country.
Children and guardians
For a minor, the Directorate applies child-protection rules:
“Due to child protection laws, it’s the duty of the biological parent to apply and present the child for biometrics unless one has legal guardianship from the courts.”
A consent form is the authorisation by the biological parent or legal guardian for the Directorate to issue the passport. So a child’s application is made and attended by the biological parent (or a court-appointed guardian), with the consent form.
Fees
The Directorate’s published fee table (KES):
| Ordinary passport — A Series (34 pages) | 7,550 |
| Ordinary passport — B Series (50 pages) | 9,550 |
| Ordinary passport — C Series (66 pages) | 12,050 |
| Diplomatic passport | 15,050 |
| Mutilated passport | 20,050 |
| Lost passport | 20,050 |
| Certificate of Identity (foreigners) | 3,050 |
| Interstate Pass (EAC) | Gratis |
Collection and waiting time
On timing, the Directorate’s service charter states fourteen (14) days from biometrics to the passport. A passport is collected from the centre where you did your biometrics. You can follow progress by logging in to your eCitizen account, or by sending your application number by SMS to 22222.
The photograph
Kenya captures the photo on site — the appointment is where you submit the application and enrol biometrics (photo capture / biometric). There is no applicant-supplied format stated in that step; for the detail on the Kenya photo, see the Kenya passport photo page.
60-second Kenya checklist
- ☐ Apply online and pay through the eCitizen portal
- ☐ Book an appointment at one of the nine Passport Processing Centres
- ☐ Bring birth certificate and ID, with matching information
- ☐ Bring your documents even though you uploaded them
- ☐ No recommender’s ID copy is required any more
- ☐ Child? The biological parent applies and presents the child, with the consent form
- ☐ Collect from the same centre, with the invoice/token and original ID
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a Kenyan passport?
Apply online and pay through the eCitizen portal, then book an appointment at a Passport Processing Centre to submit the application and enrol biometrics.
Where can I apply?
At any of the nine centres: Nairobi (Nyayo House), Kisumu, Mombasa, Eldoret, Nakuru, Embu, Kisii, Kericho and Bungoma.
What documents do I need?
Your primary documents are the birth certificate and identity card, and they should contain the same information; bring them even though you uploaded them. A recommender’s ID copy is no longer required.
Who applies for a child?
Due to child protection laws, the biological parent applies and presents the child for biometrics, unless there is legal guardianship from the courts; a consent form authorises the issue.
How much does it cost?
Ordinary ePassports are KES 7,550 (34 pages), 9,550 (50 pages) or 12,050 (66 pages); a lost or mutilated passport is KES 20,050 and a diplomatic passport KES 15,050.
How long does it take, and how do I collect?
Fourteen (14) days from biometrics, per the service charter. Collect it from the centre where you did your biometrics, with your invoice/token and original ID.
Source note: the ePassport description, the eCitizen application and appointment process, the nine processing centres and the biometrics step are from immigration.go.ke/passport-section/; the fee table is from immigration.go.ke/type-and-fees/; the documents, child and guardian rules, waiting time and collection details are from immigration.go.ke/faqs/ (all checked October 2026). The photograph is captured on site at the biometrics appointment; no applicant-supplied photo format is stated in that step.
Related: the Kenya passport photo page, the full photo size chart, the other document checklists, and the passport photo checker.