Kenyans living abroad will have to pay almost double the current amount for passports in new special fees introduced by the government.
The new regulation has classified Kenyans living abroad into five broad categories.
They are according to the Star, Americas and the Caribbean, United Kingdom, Africa, Australia and Asia and the European Union.
Kenyans living in the US and Caribbean are expected to pay the highest amount for their passports in special introductory fees structure.
The regulations which were signed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i states that Kenyans in the US and the Caribbean will pay Sh8,000 for a 32-page passport, Sh11,000 for a 48-page passport and Sh14,000 for a 64-page passport.
Before, a 32-page passport cost Sh4, 500, a 48-page passport cost Sh6, 000 while a 64-page passport cost Sh7, 500.
Consequently, for Kenyans living in the US and hold diplomatic passports, the fees has gone up by close to Sh10, 000.
Initially, one would pay Sh7, 500 for a diplomatic passport but in the new regulations, anyone holding a diplomatic passport will be required to pay Sh17, 000.
Kenyans living in the US who seek to replace their lost or mutilated passports will pay Sh21, 000 from the initial Sh12, 000.
Further, for Kenyans living in the UK, they will have to pay Sh6, 403 for a 32-page passport will cost, Sh7, 516 for a 48-page passport and Sh12, 807 for a 64-page passport.
For Kenyans living in the EU, they will pay Sh7, 516 for a 32-page passport, Sh 9, 395 for a 48-page passport and Sh11, 274 for a 64-page passport.
Kenyans living in Africa, Australia and Asia will pay Sh5, 000 for a 32-page passport and Sh6, 500 for a 48-page passport and Sh8, 000 for a 64-page passport.
The new regulations come into effect a few weeks after government was heavily criticized by Kenyans living abroad for deporting lawyer Miguna Miguna.
Also, the new regulations were borne after an amendment of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations, 2012 under the then Immigration Minister, the late Otieno Kajwang.