In a recent revelation, Anita Nderu opened up about the unexpected travel tribulations faced by her daughter, Kaya, as they navigated Kenyan immigration.
“Am finally ready to share one of our crazy travel stories. kaya is currently in Kenya on a Visa even though she was born here.”
Anita Nderu said.
Despite being born in Kenya, Anita Nderu’s daughter, Kaya’s unique journey unfolded due to the urgent need for travel and the prolonged process of obtaining a Kenyan passport.
At just 16 months old, Kaya has traveled in and out of Kenya 3-4 times using her father’s nationality passport, a swift but temporary solution chosen for its immediacy. This passport, valid for a year, acts as a placeholder until the official Kenyan one is issued, a process expected to take two weeks.
“In her 16 months of life, she has come in and out of Kenya 3-4 times. Her passport is her father’s nationality (because getting a Kenyan one would take a very long time and we had to travel ASAP and it was not possible. Her dad’s nationality gave her a passport that day, valid for a year, as we wait for the one that was issued in two weeks.) That passport clearly indicates where she was born and is from. All the times we have come back home she had been in without issues until now.”
The mother-of-one expressed.
Rude Immigration Officer
While these arrangements have facilitated previous entries without issues, their most recent return to Kenya took an unexpected turn. Anita expressed frustration over the perceived rudeness of an immigration officer who failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for why a Kenyan citizen was required to pay an entry fee.
“Let us address the epic rudeness of the Mr at the desk that we are unfortunately dealing with. He did not even care to explain to us why a Kenyan citizen was paying to enter her country. ‘
She expressed.
Anita shared snippets of the encounter, highlighting the officer’s unhelpful remarks, such as advising her to research Kenya’s new travel laws and emphasizing that a birth certificate is not proof of citizenship. The officer’s questioning of why Kaya did not possess a Kenyan passport added to the confusion.
Anita Nderu Shares Daughter’s Travel Woes
The family ultimately paid $34 to ensure Kaya’s entry into her own country, prompting Anita to inquire about documents indicating dual citizenship. Unfortunately, the officer offered no solution, only further rudeness.
We went and paid $34 dollars to get my daughter who is a Kenyan into her country. I asked, is there a document she needs in her passport that indicates she is a dual citizen? He offered no solution. Just rudeness. I have a solution now. But wow!”
By Vivian K.