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The Kenya Embassy in Washington, DC has taken steps to better manage the crowds that have been visiting the Embassy seeking Huduma Namba and ePassports.
The Embassy now requires Kenyans, after they have filled the online forms for either Huduma Namba or ePassport, to schedule an appointment online with the Embassy.
Steps to acquiring Huduma Namba at the Kenyan Embassy in Washington, DC:
1. Fill the application form available online at https://diaspora.hudumanamba.go.ke/diaspora.
2. Schedule an appointment at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/huduma-namba-tickets-63584052613.
3. Visit the Embassy on the date of the appointment for Biometrics capture. Bring along all required Huduma Namba supporting documents.
Steps to acquiring an ePassport at the Kenyan Embassy in Washington, DC:
1. Fill the application form available online at https://www.ecitizen.go.ke.
2. Schedule an appointment at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/huduma-namba-tickets-63584052613.
3. Visit the Embassy on the date of the appointment for Biometrics capture. Bring along all required ePassport supporting documents.
Since the Huduma Namba registration process started at the Kenya Embassy in Washington, DC, Kenyans in the US have been complaining of long lines, wait times, and disorganization at the Embassy as they rush to get Huduma Namba before the government-announced deadline for the Diaspora of June 20th (READ: Kenyans in the US Frustrated with Long Lines, Disorganization as they Rush to Acquire Huduma Namba at the Embassy)
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When is the Kenya Embassy in the USA going to print the names of those Kenyans it has revoked its citizenship?
Am talking citizenships by birth?
The huduma site appears like it isn't fully configured and/or can pass as not user-friendly. This is owing to fact that it shows only a handful of the locations,sub-locations etc.
As for the e-passport,i find the process involved inconvenient;
1)The logistics - Needs you to slip an ID number of someone other than your immediate relatives
2)I wonder too if am the only one who hasn't made an online payment successfully! It's like you got to have an m-pesa for this part to work!
Don’t waste your money or time traveling to any consulate. It’s a sham scheme very disorganized and lack of information. The good idea is to close those consulates and write on them if you need anything go to Kenya USA embassy or consulate don’t have an idea what is happening in Kenya
I'm still waiting for the embassy staff to reply to my emails about how to access the forms for epassport application on ecitizen. The site won't let me sign up without a Kenyan phone number. I live here in the U.S. and I don't have a Kenyan phone number.
Neither can you use a relatives contact or phone number neither! So what do they expect people like you to do? Quite idiotic!!
I thought I was the only one in this!
They did not address the mother of all problems is that we cannot be able to create our account using our phone numbers. What is the point of buying a Kenya phone that you will use once and never use it again. We use our phone number to access our Kenyan bank account. These fools need to borrow some advice from Kenya banks that have diaspora accounts.
There's no need for Kenyan number to register huduma number in diaspora. I did it without.
You need a Kenyan number to pay for the epassport.
@Mwenyenchi, I am talking about e-passport and their e-citizen website. You cannot create an account without Kenya phone number.
They didn’t care! That will be too easy for us!!
If kenyan government sends me an Airticket and accommodation then I wii take time off and Go apply Huduma namba and Passport
I sense incompetence on so many levels. Guess sitting out on this one won't hurt for now until someone comes to their senses.
On e citizen there is option of using email as verifaction instead of phone...apply some troubleshooting...
Mobile Number: You must put a number starting with +2547.....https://accounts.ecitizen.go.ke/register/citizen
Why does one need to book an appointment to get government services? Why not inform the people hours of operations and give services on 1st come first serve basis?
I believe luck of appointment is causing problems too many people showing up.
The process isn't trouble free like many other new services l did both Huduma and passport different days and the staff did their best everything was ok.
Before trashing our systems and our fellow citizens working at out embassy, remember even in US process take time a lot of backlog especially immigration.
When comparing our country with US remember this country has over 200yrs since independent to perfect their system while Kenya is only slightly over 50 yrs.
Am not saying the age difference is a reason for not providing great service but we should be considerate.
I was there yesterday DC for my passport 06/18/19 personally l have dealt with the embassy for the past 28yrs and l had the best customer service ever experienced at the embassy.
The staff are very patient with applicants on passport side l saw the staff walk us through paper work needed and how to arrange the paper work for the next staff for processing personally haven't seen that before kudos our staff.
There is a need to visit the Kenyan embassy website before visiting the embassy premise, most need information is there l did that and l brought all required documents everything went well.
If our systems are not perfect then be a change for better but name calling doesn't help.
@Jeff, you must be one of those who wrote those foolish requirements. Flying from Oregon or Washington State to DC to get e-passport is not fun. That is only in USA, what about in other countries that are larger than USA or those that do not have Kenya embassy.
@Jeff are you one of the favored ones it seems? Do they also pick your calls? Clearly there is a big problem, infact a HUGE problem with this embassy and something needs to be done. Someone needs to be diasporian advocate and clearly Jeff is sold.
Jeff,
Would you be so kind as to list exactly what is needed. The requirements on the ecitizen site and the embassy website are a little different.
Id you would, kindly!!!
Gathoni go to embassy website click on passport then chpose the type of the passport and follow the instructions.
That's what l did hope this helps.
Thanks Jeff,
I followed your advice and I was able to register on ecitizen.
As you have earlier stated. There is no need for name calling. We in the diaspora cannot expect to be rude to our Kenyan counterparts at the embassy. We act like we have forgotten where we came from. Kenya has less resources and may also have a limited staff.
Even at some DMV's you will wait for 6 hours on average and there are errors made.
Jeff, I am not an English major but I know the difference between a name and an adjective. I have, in the past, used adjectives describing embassy personnel as incompetent and inefficient(feel free to find synonyms you find more agreeable). Both, descriptions evidenced by the lack of skill and speed exhibited by the embassy staff. At the beginning of 2017 I decided to get a new Kenya passport and ID. I followed all instructions as outlined, made follow up calls that were never returned, visited D.C., twice. The end result was no passport and no ID and advised to call Nyayo House. Finally in December 2017, having given up, I flew to Kenya and managed to get both a new ID and passport over the holidays. What then was the point of having The embassy? The staff is inept and clueless and don't know the meaning of service. They showed no consideration for my time or expenses so please don't ask for mine. It may well be that this bungling ineptitude is not their fault. In which case, what are they doing working at the embassy. As for the the ages of Kenya and the US, were any of the staff brought up in the 19th century before the advent of computers? You may have relatives who work here or are yourself a government employee. In any event quit defending and justifying people who don't know what real service entails.
Jeff please stop.immigration is a different issue and American government delays the cases intentionally to investigate!common
@Jeff:
Waswahili husema, "Aisifuye mvua imemnyea." Kutokana na maandishi yako matamu, yaonekana dhahiri ya kwamba wewe ni mfanyikazi wa serikali ya Kenya.
Am a Kenyan very greatful to be one l don't work for the government and there's nothing wrong working for the government. With all the challenges we face getting things done even back home from family or friends when one receive assistance accomplishing a task it's ok to acknowledge that's l was doing.
We stayed in line for 5 hours but we were served and the staff did their best. I cannot state the opposite it would be unwise and unfair to state the opposite.
Jeff no one asked you to do that. However, at least, acknowledge that the level of service at this office has been and remains incomprehensibly bad and moreover, if you had employees running your business this way, you would fire the lot of them. Why call it "huduma namba" when hawawezi kutoa huduma ya msingi?
All l Will say, when expressing our grievances can people reading our post desire to find us on the other side of the counter for service.
Why is there one form of payment for a damn e- passport. Why does one need to have Mpesa, there are all sorts of apps out there for Diaspora disposal to make payment including ACH /wire transfer if one wishes to absorb the fee.. Whoever designed that site is as incompetent as the govt itself . Why would you restrict a site to accept only a Kenyan number when you are serving Kenyans all over the world. Ridiculous.!
I dont even have Kenyan to begin with. Where do I start now.
One of the biggest problems we have is the government being inconsiderate and bringing about ridiculous deadlines. Whatever happened to phasing out as you introduce something new? I would have that thought someone would have been smart enough to state that as your passport expires, you get an epassport when you renew it. If that takes too long then provide a realistic deadline. Some people renewed passports late last year and still got the old one. Why??? Why would you provide a deadline in the diaspora when you do not have the services in place to manage the thousands of people in the diaspora? Why would you not increase your hours and the number of people working due to your unrealistic deadline? Why would you also make an assumption that everyone can afford to make a trip to DC when there are 50 states in the US? We can do so much better without complicating things.
@Bit Small:
Umesema kweli kabisa. Mimi simwelewi huyu ndugu yetu Matiang'i; mtu huyu aliamua kuwatoza Wanakenya wanaokaa Marekani pasipoti kwa bei ya juu kuliko Wakenya wanaoishi nyingine zote ughaibuni (foreign countries)! Kwa nini tulinyamaza na kumruhusu afanye kitendo cha ajabu kama hiki. Ni kweli kuna Wakenya ambao ni mamilionea hapa Marekani: lakini Wakenya wote marekani si mamilionea!
Ni lazima Wakenya popote walipo watozwe bei moja ya kupata huduma sawa na Wakenya wanaoishi katika nchi ya Kenya au ughaibuni.
Not sure. Does replacing old passport require travelling to Washington to obtain e-passport or can be done by mail.
Visit the embassy website, all the answers are available there. Do you think you can send your iris scan or fingerprints by mail for your biometrics capture. They need to see you and capture these themselves.
Have you tried applying for a British visa with your Kenyan passport in the usa?
You go to the local center for your biometrics and mail the passport application to Washington.
You get your passport back within 5-7 days with your British visa.
Just some food for thought.
Makende
Hi my fellow Kenyans. I have been following your comments and what you have been going through n feel woiyee for you.
I was a foreigner in Africa countries and happens to go through some challenges more likely what you are going through.
Briefly, what would you like me to do for you here in Kenya?
Is this the reason the Kenya Embassy in the US has refused to issue passports to Kenyans who applied for their passport renewal in 2018?