Kenya on Friday announced that it had yet again extended the deadline for phasing out the old generation passport and replacing it with the e-passport to November 2022.

The Directorate of Immigration Services (DMI) says the decision was made at the 41st Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Council of Minister held in Arusha, Tanzania on November 22-29, 2021.

This effectively means all East African Community countries will extend the period for phasing out their old generation passports to November this year.

Immigration Services Director General Alexander Muteshi says Kenya is bound by all decisions of the EAC Council hence it will abide by it for the time being.

Initially Kenya, through the Interior Ministry had ser the deadline for fully adopting e-passports for February 4, 2021 but extended it to December 31, 2021 citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ministry had then indicated that from January 1, 2022, the old dark blue passport would be null and void and replaced by the sky blue passport, which is already being used by some Kenyans.