EAC to phase out old passports

The Ministry of Internal Affairs is to phase out the old East African passports and replace them with new ones that shall be recognized internationally.

The current East African Passport cannot be used as a travel document outside East Africa because it does not meet the required international standards.

Jacob Siminyu the spokesperson of the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration said the new East African passport will be embed with a microchip containing all the bio data of the owner to enable the user to travel outside East Africa.

"We will issue new passports for expired and lost passports as well as those who want to voluntarily replace them" Siminyu said.

The new passport will be launched on Monday Next week in Tanzania which shall compel each member state to start phasing out the old East African Passport.