Kenya’s immigration system is currently undergoing significant changes, affecting various aspects of the application process. The Directorate of Immigration Services has temporarily paused all immigration application processing and issuance, including permanent residence, work permits, passes, and citizenship applications. This suspension, which will last roughly until the end of May, is part of an effort to reduce the passport application backlog. The backlog is anticipated to be resolved by August 2024 through the implementation of new standard government processing times.
How Does This Affect Applicants?
During this period, immigration offices will not accept new applications, and pending applications will not be processed or issued. However, it is important to note that border management services and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) applications for business and tourism purposes remain unaffected. This means that while those seeking long-term residency or work opportunities may face delays, travellers planning short-term visits for business or tourism can still proceed with their plans without interruption.
Fee Changes
In addition to these procedural changes, there have been recent increases in immigration-related fees, adding another layer of complexity for applicants. These fee hikes apply to both new and pending applications, potentially impacting a wide range of individuals and businesses. The increased costs may require applicants to reassess their budgets and financial planning related to immigration processes. It is advisable for applicants to stay informed about the specific fee changes to avoid any unexpected financial burdens.
Challenges with eFNS
Another significant challenge faced by applicants is the frequent malfunctioning of Kenya’s electronic immigration portal, eFNS. The eFNS portal has been notoriously unreliable, frequently becoming inaccessible since its launch. This month has been no exception, with the platform being mostly offline since last Monday. The eFNS portal was designed to facilitate online submissions and streamline the processing of immigration applications. However, the frequent technical issues have caused considerable delays and frustrations for users.
Given these ongoing problems, we remind clients to anticipate delays that are beyond the control of IBN Immigration Solutions. While our team remains committed to providing the best possible service, these technical issues with the eFNS portal are out of our hands. We recommend that applicants regularly check the status of the eFNS portal and prepare for potential delays in their application processes.
Written by Simon Carletti, PR and Creative Supervisor
