Nairobi News

The Principal Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Roseline Njogu, has issued a public apology following the publication of a gazette notice which reported that fees for processing permanent residence permits for children of Kenyan citizens born outside the country had increased to Sh1 million.

The notice, which sparked heated public debate, reported that fees for processing permanent residence permits for children of Kenyan citizens born outside Kenya had doubled to Sh200,000, while fees for issuing permanent residence permits for the same children had increased from Sh500,000 to Sh1,000,000.

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In a statement on social media platform X, Njogu clarified that the amounts quoted had been entered in error, while noting that she had since taken the matter up with Immigration PS Julius Bitok, who she said confirmed the same.

She added that the outrageous amounts apply to children of foreigners seeking permanent residences and not Kenyans.

“Further to my last tweet, I have engaged with Immigration PS Julius Bitok. He has assured me that the Permanent Residence fees for children of Kenyan citizens were entered in error. This fee applies to children of foreigners seeking PR. As I had explained, children of a citizen acquire citizenship by birth,” said the PS.

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The requirement would have been unconstitutional since Article 14 (1) of the Kenyan Constitution stipulates that “A person is a citizen by birth if on the day of the person’s birth, whether or not the person is born in Kenya, either the mother or father of the person is a citizen.”

The Foreign Affairs CS added that measures to rectify the misleading error have already been taken.

“Apologies for the mistake that has caused so much anxiety,” she said.

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