Reception & Registration

Refugee registration is the recording, verifying and updating of information on persons of concern (POCs) to the Government of Kenya with the aim of protecting, documenting and implementing durable solutions. 

Upon arrival in Kenya, the Person of Concern (PoC) should declare their presence to the nearest administrative office/Officer. The officer should then refer the PoC to the nearest Department of Refugee Services (DRS) office with a stamped referral note bearing the following details:

• Name,
• Gender
• Family size
• Country of origin
• Date and point of entry
• DRS office to be referred to
• Address of the office

The stages in the Registration Process are as follows:                                                                                         

Reception: This is the entry point where the POC is received and a screening test is done. There are three types of screening; the physical screening, the security screening and the medical screening that a POC has to go through before being registered. 

Registration: This is the collection of POC data; the bio and civil data and any other relevant information that will be useful in handling the POC case. 

Note: It is mandatory for any asylum-seeker who has entered Kenya to present himself/herself before the Department of Refugee Service according to the Refugee Act 2021 section 24(1) - Any person entering Kenya to seek asylum shall make his or her intention known immediately upon entry or within thirty days by reporting to the nearest reception centre or the nearest government administrative office.