How To Check ID Status Online in Kenya – 2023 Guide
In this new guide, I am going to show you how to check ID status online in Kenya. In Kenya or any part of the world, having a National Identity Card is one of the most important things you need. This is one of the must-have essential documents. It will help you apply for work, get Government services, and also access other services like withdrawing money from your Bank account or Mpesa.
Ask someone who has ever lost his/her ID card and they will tell you how that is a situation they never want to find themselves in again. When applying it for the first, one has to typically wait for about a month or two before they get it. For those who lose it, you will have to wait for two weeks after applying for a replacement at the nearest Huduma Centre branch.
Meanwhile, you will be using the waiting card that is provided for you as a temporary ID card. But note that the waiting card is not equivalent to an ID card and you will still be restricted in doing things and getting services. It only acts as proof that you are a registered Kenyan who is waiting for your ID card to be replaced.
During this waiting period, it is possible to check your ID status online through the methods I will show you. This is a relief, unlike the previous years when you had to wait for months for your ID card to be processed, and the only way you could check if it had been processed was by going to the District Commissioners’ office. I remember when I lost mine back in 2014, I waited for about 4 months and went to the DC’s office almost three times. It was very tiresome.
How Long it takes for an ID to be processed in Kenya
The time it takes for an ID to be processed in Kenya depends on two situations:
- Is the ID being processed for the first time?
- Is the ID card being replaced after the person lost it?
Those applying for an Identity Card for the first time typically have to wait for about 2 months before they are able to go to their nearest Huduma centre or their local chief’s office to collect them. Those who only need to replace their lost ID cards only have to wait for at least 2 weeks before they can collect their National Identity Card at the Huduma Centre branch they applied through.
How To Check ID Status Online
There are two ways you can use to check your ID Status online:
- Through the ID Status Checker Website
- Through SMS
How To Check ID Status via Identity.go.ke:
This website was created to help you check if your ID is processed and ready for pickup at no cost at all. To check the Status of your ID online through this platform:
- Access your browser through your phone, laptop or PC.
- In the URL section, key in Identity.go.ke, or click here to go there directly.
- Then you will be required to enter the serial number of your ID card. You can find this number on your waiting card.
How To Check ID Status Via SMS
You can also check your ID processing status by sending an SMS to the number 20031. This, unlike the website, costs money and can be done even if you don’t have access to a computer or a smartphone. to use SMS to check your ID status, you will, first of all, have to recharge your line, Airtel or Safaricom, as it cost Ksh. 5/= to send the SMS:
- Open your messages application.
- Create a new conversation.
- Add the receiver’s number 20031.
- On the message input field, enter your ID serial number, or the 9-digit Serial number of the ID card whose status you want to check.
Also read:
Alternative ways To Check if Your ID has been Processed
Another option is to visit your nearest Huduma Center to check if your ID has arrived. The disadvantage of doing this is that you might find that it has not yet been processed, and you will just be relying on luck.
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