According to the DIS, many applicants relied on recommenders whose identities could not be verified, weakening the credibility of the passport application process.
The department explained that the biometrics stage now provides direct identity verification through fingerprints, national identity cards and passport photographs matched against government databases, making third-party endorsements largely unnecessary.
Previously, passport applicants were required to provide a recommending officer to vouch for their character, certify that the submitted photographs were a true likeness and endorse the authenticity of the application.
The eligibility criteria were also strict. Recommending officers had to hold a valid Kenyan passport or national identity card, could not be related to the applicant by blood or marriage, and were typically expected to be professionals such as doctors, lawyers, bankers, civil servants or clergy.
DIS stressed that the recommending officer section should never be a barrier to obtaining a passport, noting that the application process now relies on more reliable and verifiable identity data.
The department said the change is also intended to curb fraud linked to forged signatures and fake endorsements by so-called recommending officers, a loophole officials say had undermined confidence in the system.
With biometrics now central to verification, cross-checking fingerprints and passport photographs against existing databases makes a third party’s opinion largely unnecessary for confirming who someone really is.
The shift is expected to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, especially the informal demands for money that some officers made in exchange for their signatures.
Instead of relying on personal recommendations, the department is now placing greater weight on documents Kenyans already submit, including birth certificates and national identification cards.
