Passport Processed Three Years Later
“Thank you for your response and for keeping tabs on this case. I have a confirmation and evidence that the London High Commission has dispatched my passport so I will pick it up today or tomorrow. I am satisfied with the outcome and that this case can now be closed. I am extremely grateful for your help and diligence.” These were the words of Mark Selfert, in an email to the Commission on 23rd August 2023.
Mr. Selfert, a Kenyan citizen living and working in the United Kingdom, complained to the Commission alleging delay by the High Commission of Kenya in London and the Immigration Department to process his passport application. According to him, he applied to regain his citizenship and a passport application in March 2020, and despite receiving several assurances that his citizen application was accepted and that a letter would be delivered to him in London, he was yet to receive the same.
“I need help with my passport application submitted in March 2020, I need my passport, I am desperate. The service is inconsistent, the corruption is terrible and I do not know what to do anymore. Every time I go to the High Commission in London they tell me that there is either an IT issue with my application and I need to go back to Nairobi or that their systems are down. Whenever I contact Nairobi, they say I go back to the embassy, I have been going around in circles for over two years now. I live far and it takes a long time for me to go to London and I have wasted so many days traveling. They rarely answer the phones and they are non-responsive to emails.” These were the words of Mr. Selfert in a complaint to the Commission on 26 July 2023.
The Commission by way of inquiry took up the matter with the Director, Department of Immigration. In their response to the Commission on 11th August 2023, the Department confirmed that the documents were processed and forwarded to the High Commission in London.
“Kindly note that Mr. M. Selfert’s application for regaining and dual declaration was processed and completed and the same was forwarded to our High Commission in London, United Kingdom, for onward transmission to the applicant. The applicant should check with the High Commission for collection,” read a letter from the Immigration Department to the Commission.
Mr. Selfert in an email to the Commission confirmed the delivery of the passport and thanked the Commission for the intervention