Kenya's new green passport: who gets it, and how it differs from the ordinary and diplomatic passports
The government has printed a new green 'service' passport for public servants travelling on official business who do not qualify for a diplomatic passport. Here is who it is for, why it was created and what it means for ordinary Kenyans.
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- New explainer: Kenya's new green passport.
Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang told Parliament's Administration and Internal Security Committee this week that Kenya will introduce a third type of passport: a green service passport. It has already been printed and will be rolled out once regulations are finalised.
Kenya's passports at a glance
| Passport | Who gets it | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary | Any Kenyan citizen who applies | Personal travel, work, study |
| Service (new, green) | Public servants and state officers who do not qualify for a diplomatic passport | Official government business abroad only |
| Diplomatic | The President and Deputy, Cabinet and Principal Secretaries, governors, senior judges, security chiefs, some spouses and dependants, and certain retired leaders | Official and diplomatic functions |
Why create a new passport?
- A gap in the rules: officers on official trips who are not senior enough for a diplomatic passport have been travelling on ordinary ones.
- Complaints of unfairness: the Commission on Administrative Justice (the Ombudsman) petitioned Parliament, saying some constitutional offices and independent commissions were left off the diplomatic list.
- Protecting the diplomatic passport: Kipsang said the government "must protect the document's integrity and international recognition", so it does not want to hand diplomatic passports to more people.
What it means for ordinary Kenyans
- Nothing changes for you: ordinary passport rules, fees and eCitizen applications stay the same.
- No free upgrade: the service passport is only for official travel; it is not a perk for private trips.
- Watch the regulations: the current rules date from 2012. The government says it will review them to fit the 2010 Constitution, and Parliament can scrutinise who qualifies.
Why it matters: many countries issue service passports. They can make official travel smoother, but the key questions are who qualifies and whether the list stays tight. MPs have already raised concerns about unequal access to diplomatic passports.
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