New biometric system allows foreign nationals to get police clearance without travelling to DCI HQ
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has launched its Multi-Biometric Identification System at the Diplomatic Police Unit headquarters, allowing foreign nationals and mission staff to obtain certificates without travelling to DCI headquarters or Huduma Centres.
Diplomats, foreign nationals and staff of international missions in Kenya can now apply for and collect Police Clearance Certificates at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Diplomatic Police Unit headquarters following the launch of a new biometric system.
The Multi-Biometric Identification System (MBIS) was extended to the diplomatic community as part of a nationwide rollout intended to improve the efficiency and accessibility of Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) processing. In a statement issued on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, the DCI said the move allows applicants to access the service locally without travelling to DCI headquarters or Huduma Centres.
The agency first introduced the MBIS at its headquarters on 23 July 2026 in a ceremony presided over by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. A second phase of the expansion followed in September 2026, connecting 20 additional centres mainly serving the Central Region and neighbouring areas. This brought the total number of connected application centres to 26 out of the 63 planned nationwide. Six centres in Nairobi had already been linked earlier.
The centres added in the second phase include Kajiado Central, Kajiado West-Kisamis, Machakos, Thika, Kamwangi, Murang’a, Nyeri, Nyandarua-Ol Kalou, Nanyuki, Laikipia East-Makutano, Samburu-Maralal, Kerugoya, Mwea, Embu, Chuka, Marimanti, Maara, Kathwana, Meru and Isiolo.
According to the DCI, the biometric system has reduced the time required to process Police Clearance Certificates from 14 days to same-day issuance. Record-handling capacity has increased from two million to 10 million records, while daily search capacity has risen from 4,500 to 20,000. The agency said these improvements are expected to raise overall processing capacity and reduce delays as more centres are connected.
The MBIS combines fingerprint, palm print and facial recognition technologies. It replaces traditional ink-based fingerprinting and paper-based procedures with live digital biometric capture, with the aim of improving identification accuracy and supporting forensic investigations.
The DCI described the extension of the system to the diplomatic community as part of its broader effort to modernise police clearance services and improve delivery nationwide.
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