Guidelines on Residence Permit Replacement after deadline

Statutory Instrument (SI) No. 9 of 2019 replaced the booklet type of permits with digital card permits. Therefore all holders of Residence Permits were by law required to apply for replacement of the booklet type permit with the digital card permits before 31^st October 2020. The following are some guidelines on applications for replacement after the deadline. The guidelines also cover applications for extension of Temporary Residence Permits by applicants having passports with validity of less than 6 months.

A. APPLICATIONS FOR REPLACEMENT OF RESIDENCE PERMITS AFTER
DEADLINE (31^ST OCTOBER, 2020)

Applications for Replacement of residence permits made after 31^st October 2020, either as online or walk-in applications shall be considered for processing, subject to payment of the statutory fee for a Temporary Permit (K 6,000 and K 3,000 for Private and Non-Profit Sectors, respectively).

B. APPLICANTS HAVING PASSPORTS WITH VALIDITY OF LESS THAN 6
MONTHS

Applicants for replacement of residence permits after the deadline having passports with a validity of less than 6 months should submit their applications in person through a walk-in application. Such applicants will be subjected to payment of the statutory fee for a Temporary Permit.

C. APPLICANTS HAVING EXPIRED PASSPORTS OR WITH VALIDITY OF
LESS THAN 6 MONTHS, WITH GENUINE REASONS

Holders of Residence Permits who have been unable to apply for replacement because they have failed to renew their passports due to reasons beyond their control may be allowed to continue holding the booklet type of residence permit until such a time the passport issuing authority resumes the issuance and renewal of passports. Such persons must have formally written to the Director-General of Immigration on their inability to apply for a replacement. The request should clearly state the reasons as well as providing documentary evidence to support the claim. 

Upon renewal of their passport, the holder must apply for replacement through a walk-in process. They will not be subjected to payment of the statutory fee for a Temporary Permit.

Those who will fail to substantiate their claim will be subject to payment of the statutory fee for a Temporary Permit.

D. EXTENSION OF OTHER TYPES OF PERMITS BY APPLICANTS HAVING
PASSPORTS WITH VALIDITY OF LESS THAN 6 MONTHS

Applicants for extension of other types of Permits (Employment Permits, Study Permits, Investors Permits, etc) having passports with a validity of less than 6 months should submit their applications in person through a walk-in application. This category should not submit their applications online. The applicants will be allowed to submit and pay for the extension. However, they will only be able to collect the permit upon the presentation of a renewed passport. In the interim, the approval letter will suffice as proof of renewal. The card will only be collected upon updating the applicant’s record.

E. ADMISSION OF HOLDERS OF RESIDENCE PERMIT BOOKLETS

Returning residents with Residence Permit Booklets, who successfully submitted applications for replacement before the deadline but are yet to collect the Residence Card, must be allowed entry upon production of proof of payment. Those who fail to show such proof may be placed on a Report Order to apply for replacement.

These guidelines do not negate, in any way, the current procedures for handling Residence Permit Holders who have stayed out of the country in excess of 6 months without notifying the Director-General.