Maisha Card: Why You Will Renew Your ID Card Every 10 Years

You will need to renew your ID card (Maisha Card) every 10 years, the government has confirmed.

The Maisha Card features a machine-readable microchip that contains relevant security features and personal details. Like other documents, such as ATM cards, the microchip has a shelf life of a maximum of 10 years from the date of issuance.

Principal Secretary for the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services Julius Bitok says the expiry date has no direct correlation with the general election date. As a result, card holders will need to renew their National ID cards every ten years.

“This is a standard practice in countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Senegal, and France, among others that have implemented an ID with a microchip,” he says.

Applicants seeking renewal of expired National ID cards will not be required to undertake fresh biometrics. However, they will retake their passport-sized photos due to potential changes in facial features over the years.

Bitok spoke after the Civil Society questioned the legality and propriety of the new Maisha Card.

Maisha Card and its supporting infrastructure, including the Unique Personal Identifier (Maisha Number), digital ID, and the National Integrated Personal Registration System (Maisha Database), were introduced in November 2023.

According to the government, so far, the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has issued 972,630 Maisha cards (531,329 new applications and 441,301 duplicates).

The department says the Maisha ecosystem complies with regional and international best practices on the standardisation of essential features of personal registration documents including the National ID Card.

“It also complies with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements on cross-border identification documents. The system enhances security features in the National ID card, making it difficult to forge and tamper with. It introduces features that enable a digital version of the National ID Card,” Bitok says.

Bitok says Maisha Card also consolidates several existing databases into a master national register, negating the need for multiple and separate personal registration records.

He adds that the introduction of Maisha Card was preceded by at least 820 public and stakeholder engagements, including civil society, religious leaders, the private sector, the media, and the public.

“The NRB appreciates the importance of the National ID Card as a constitutional right and an essential identification document and will strive to ensure eligible Kenyans obtain it as soon as possible. To meet the rising demand for services, NRB has acquired a modern printer and enhanced the printing capacity to 30,000 National ID Cards per day against an average demand of 10,000 applications,” he adds.