Immigration and Citizens Services Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has moved to reassure Kenyans that the government is not issuing national identity cards to foreigners, amid growing public debate over reforms to the country’s identification registration system.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration on Tuesday, Kipsang explained that foreign nationals and refugees living in Kenya are issued with alien identification documents, not Kenyan national IDs.
The PS said the documents are strictly meant for administrative purposes and help foreign residents access regulated services while living legally in the country.
According to Kipsang, the identification documents issued to non-citizens allow them to carry out essential activities such as registering SIM cards and accessing other services that require official identification, but they do not grant Kenyan citizenship or the rights that come with it.
His remarks come at a time when concerns have been growing over reports that some foreigners may have been issued with Kenyan identity cards, raising questions about the integrity of government registration systems ahead of the 2027 General Election.
An Alien ID card is formally referred to as the Foreign Nationals Certificate and is mandatory for all foreign nationals residing in Kenya for more than 90 days.
Some conditions need to be fulfilled in order to be eligible for applying for this card. For example, one should be an adult person who is 18 years old. Moreover, he/she should possess a real passport of his/her country of origin and have the legal immigration status such as a work permit or student pass and others. It is also essential that the applicant wishes to stay in the country for over three months.
The cost of this card according to the Directorate of Immigration Services is Ksh5,000 annually. A fine will be paid by those foreigners who are staying in the country for over 90 days without registration. The fine is Ksh10,000.
The validity of the document is usually two years.
Clarification from Kipsang came amid public alarm following allegations that foreigners were being issued with regular Kenyan identification documents.
As reported recently in the media, there were some cases where foreigners, especially those from neighboring countries, were discovered with Kenyan IDs.
In another development, people living in Busia County have complained of foreigners from Uganda using Kenyan identity cards when accessing various government services such as health care facilities.
The ongoing discussions have also brought back memories of reforms introduced by President William Ruto late last year concerning the issuing of IDs and birth certificates in Northern Kenya among other areas.
President Ruto said the reforms were meant to do away with the barriers he termed as discriminatory which prevented some eligible Kenyans from getting their IDs.
But Ruto has been dismissing allegations that the reforms were meant to ease the criteria for obtaining citizenship or even enable foreigners to get Kenyan IDs.
Addressing crowds at Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir County on June 1, the President reiterated that only genuine Kenyans will be issued with national IDs.
“But let me be direct on what that declaration was not. It was not an invitation for foreigners to acquire Kenyan documents illegally; Kenyan identity cards will only be issued to legitimate citizens of this republic,” Ruto said.
The government’s latest clarification is expected to form part of ongoing efforts to address public concerns and assure Kenyans that citizenship and identification processes remain governed by the law.