Ruto Announces New Passport Processing Time
President William Ruto declared that the time it takes to apply for a passport has been reduced to two to three days.
According to the Head of State, people seeking passports for work abroad now receive their documents within 72 hours, putting an end to the frustrations of thousands of Kenyans.
“Today, we have a clean channel for people to get jobs abroad. If you have a job abroad, it now takes 2-3 days to get your passport,” Ruto announced.
He was speaking at the Ambassadors and High Commissioners’ Conference at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) on Saturday, March 28.
President William Ruto has delivered exciting news for Kenyans chasing opportunities overseas: passport processing is now slashed to just 72 hours. This bold reform ends months of frustrating delays and opens doors to global jobs faster than ever. ( MORE👇) pic.twitter.com/d1S4IoJRPQ
— THEE ALFA HOUSE (@thee_alfa_house) March 28, 2026
According to the eCitizen portal, the official starting point for applying for and renewing passports, first-time applications take 10 working days and subsequent applications take 5 working days.
Two new high-speed printers were installed, with the capacity to print over 10,000 passports per day, more than doubling the normal demand.
In 2022, when President Ruto came into office, applying for a passport took anywhere between 72 hours and 3 weeks once you have physically submitted your documents and captured your biometrics.
However, backlogs that were over 700,000 meant that wait time could end up stretching to months, six for some.
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Today, despite President Ruto’s assertions, as of March 2026, while many report receiving passports within 7 to 10 days, some applicants still face booking delays for biometric appointments at popular centers like Nyayo House.
According to the President, streamlining the passport systems has seen Kenya export more than 540,000 people for jobs abroad.
The Kenyan passport has strengthened its global standing this year, climbing several spots on the Henley Passport Index.
The Kenyan passport now ranks in position 64th, up from 73rd in late 2025. In Africa, it is ranked as the 9th to 10th most powerful passport on the continent.
Kenya currently holds the strongest passport in East Africa, outperforming regional peers like Tanzania (65th) and Uganda (71st) in global mobility.
Ruto Announces New Passport Processing Time
