The government has revoked a Gazette Notice issued on November 7, 2023, that announced an increase in charges for some services including passport, ID, work permit, birth and death certificate applications to allow for public participation on the matter.

Following the withdrawal of the earlier Gazette Notice, the Interior CS has gazetted new intended charges for the same services to take effect on January 1, 2024.

In the new Gazette Notice however, the government has made minimal changes, with most of the charges such as application of passports, death and birth certificates being retained as previously published on November 7, 2023.

The only significant change however is the application for national IDs. The government had intended to increase the fee for first-time ID applications to Ksh.1,000 but has now reviewed the cost downward to Ksh.300.

The fee for replacement of lost IDs has also been reviewed to Ksh.1,000 instead of the intended Ksh.2,000.

The fee for application of the standard 34-page passport has been set at Ksh.7,500 from the current Ksh.4,500.

A 50-page ordinary passport will also cost applicants Ksh.9,500 from the existing Ksh.6,000 while the application fee for a 66-page ordinary passport will rise by Ksh.5,000 to cost Ksh.12,500.

New birth certificate applications will also cost Ksh.200 from Ksh.50. Application fees for death certificates have also quadrupled to Ksh.200.

Kindiki further announced that on the particular issue of the acquisition of National IDs by previously not registered citizens, the Government shall waive the fees for Kenyans who demonstrate an inability to pay.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services has been directed to conduct and complete public participation not later than December 10, 2023.

The High Court had suspended the revoked notice with yet another petition against the revision of the charges filed on Tuesday.

By Fred Azelwa.