In case you wish to apply for asylum in Kenya, you should present yourself to the DRS Office to apply for asylum immediately upon arrival or within 30 days of entry into Kenya. In case you are already in Kenya lawfully and realize you are unable to return to your country of origin due to well-founded fear of persecution for any of the applicable grounds provided, you should register your application for asylum with DRS before the expiration of your stay in Kenya.
Registering your application for asylum is an important obligation for an asylum seeker as it forms the legal basis for your legal stay in Kenya and allows you to access public services and available assistance, moreover, it protects you against forced return to your country of origin.
When you present yourself to a DRS office for registration, DRS staff will collect your biodata and other important information relating to you, your family members and relatives in Kenya and outside Kenya. The DRS staff will take pictures of you and your family members and collect your biometric information (fingerprint and iris scan). You will also be requested to answer questions about what made you leave your country and why you cannot return.
When going for registration at a DRS office it is important that you come along with all your family members who are with you in Kenya. You are also requested to bring the following documents:
- Passport(s)
- All other available ID documents (National ID, military ID, driver’s licenses, other civil documentation)
- Marriage/divorce certificate(s)
- Birth/death certificate(s)
- Family booklets
- Proof of previous registration of asylum in other countries (if applicable)
Once the registration is completed, DRS will issue you with documentation to enable you to stay in Kenya for the period during which your application will be decided and to get access to services provided by the Government of Kenya, UNHCR and its partners. Depending on the location where you register your application, the documents could include:
- Proof of Registration: issued to Family /Household after Registration confirming details of your registration.
- Asylum Seekers Pass: issued to Family /Household after Registration confirming details of your registration
- Movement Pass: issued to asylum seekers and refugees with travel intentions within the country of asylum.
Registration in Kakuma
Information for new arrivals:
To ensure all new arrivals seeking asylum have access to registration and are issued relevant documents, an organized procedure has been put in place.
Step 1: All new arrivals report to the Camp Manager’s Office
Step 2: The individuals are referred from the Camp Manager’s Office to either Kakuma or Kalobeyei Reception Center where they will be accommodated.
Step 3: On scheduled day, they are transported to Field Post 2 for registration by Department of Refugee Services (DRS)
Step 4: Individuals will be transported back to the Reception Center and await relocation to the community.