The government through the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has confirmed an increase in the service fees for passports and Visas. The passport visa fees hike comes as a surprise to kenyans.
This comes after the ministry released a gazette notice dated 8th of November. An ordinary 66-page passport that previously cost kenyans at Ksh 7,500 has been moved to a new level of Ksh 12,000. A 34-page passport that previously went for Ksh 4,500 has moved to 7,500.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic 50-page has hit a high Ksh 15,000 up from 7,500 as ordinary document goes up from 7,500 to 9,500.
People who have lost their passports have not been spared either. The government has increased the price for renewal of lost passports in the new gazette notice.
In almost a 90% increment, the lost passports will now be serviced at 20,000 which was done previously at 12,000. Mutilated passports will also feel the pinch as they will be charged Ksh 20,000 from the current Ksh. 10,000.
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Only the cost of applying temporary permit passport and a service passport has not been hiked but the single journey Visas have also doubled. This is from 7,572 to 15,145. Multiple journey visas have also been affected from the current 15,145 to 75,725, a supersonic passport visa fees hike.
Initially, the extending visa was absolutely free. People were allowed to extend their visa without being charged. But the new notice indicates that Ksh. 30,290 will be the new price for those appling for extending their Visa.
Meanwhile, the government has also inceased fees for ID replacements from the current 100 to 2,000. For those acquiring IDs for the first time, they will part with 1,000, which was previously free. Obtaining birth certificates will also move from 50 to 200.
The changes according to the notice take effect immediately as the government is looking for more ways to increase revenue collection. This increases more burden to the common mwananchi who is already suffering with high cost of living. The move has received negative social media response as more people complain about the same.