Kenyans applying for new passports are facing higher costs after the government quietly removed the cheaper 50-page passport option from the eCitizen platform.

A check on the portal shows that the 66-page passport, priced at KSh12,500, is now the only standard option available to new applicants. The 50-page booklet, which previously cost KSh9,500, no longer appears during the application or renewal process.

While the system still displays earlier prompts suggesting multiple booklet sizes, applicants are eventually directed to select only the 66-page passport. In effect, anyone applying for a new passport must now pay the highest fee, whether they need the extra pages or not.

This latest change follows an earlier move in July 2025, when the government withdrew the 34-page passport, the most affordable option at KSh7,500. At the time, authorities cited operational and supply challenges, but no timeline was given for its return.

Before the changes, Kenyans could choose between three options:

• 34 pages at KSh7,500

• 50 pages at KSh9,500

• 66 pages at KSh12,500

With the 34-page and 50-page booklets now gone, the minimum cost of getting a passport has risen sharply.

The government has not issued an official statement explaining the removal of the 50-page passport. The silence has fuelled frustration, especially among first-time applicants and young people seeking work opportunities abroad.

For many job seekers, the passport fee is only the starting point. Other costs include medical tests, police clearance, visas, and air tickets. Some fear the higher upfront cost could shut out low-income Kenyans and slow legal migration.

“This is not just about travel,” one applicant said at a Nairobi passport office. “For some of us, a passport is a lifeline to work opportunities.”

Online, pressure is building. Social media users are urging the government to restore the cheaper passport options or clearly explain why they were removed. Others have called for a review of passport pricing to reflect the needs of ordinary citizens.

Until an official response is given, Kenyans applying for passports are left with one choice — and a much higher bill.