Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has announced that National ID cars will now be renewed every 10 years.
In a statement on July 22, Bitok said renewal of IDs is a standard practice in many countries in the African continent.
According to Bitok, Kenyans renewing expired Maisha cards will not have to re-enroll their biometrics.
“Holders will need to renew their National ID cards every ten years. This is a standard practice in countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, and France, among others that have implemented an ID with a microchip.”
“Applicants seeking renewal of expired National ID cards will not be required to undertake fresh biometrics. However, they will retake their passport-sized photos due to potential changes in facial features over the years,” said Bitok.
Bitok pointed out that the IDs contain a microchip containing security features and personal data, and like ATM cards, have a maximum shelf life of 10 years.
“The Maisha Card features a machine-readable microchip that contains relevant security features and personal details.
“Like other documents, such as ATM cards, the microchip has a shelf life of a maximum of ten years from the date of issuance. The expiry date has no direct correlation with the general election date,” the Immigration PS stated.
Maisha cards were introduced in late 2023 to replace the current second-generation ID cards. They will carry an individual’s digital Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), known as the Maisha Namba.
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