The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has expanded access to same-day Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) for diplomats, foreign nationals, and staff of international missions.
This is followed by the new biometric identification system at the Diplomatic Police Unit (DPU) headquarters in Nairobi.
The new service will allow members of the diplomatic community to apply for PCCs locally without having to travel to DCI Headquarters or a Huduma Center.
According to DCI, the launch forms part of a nationwide rollout of the Multi-Biometric Identification System (MBIS), which is supposed to improve the speed and accessibility of the processing.
A sample of police clearance certificate
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DCI
“The system has reduced processing time for Police Clearance Certificates from 14 days to same-day issuance, allowing applicants to obtain the documents much faster,” DCI said.
The technology also increases the agency’s record-handling capacity from two million to 10 million records, while its daily search capacity has risen from 4,500 to 20,000.
The MBIS works by using fingerprints, palm print, and facial recognition technologies to improve identification accuracy and also strengthen forensic capabilities used in criminal investigations, replacing the traditional ink-based fingerprinting and paper-based system.
On July 23, 2026, the DCI launched the MBIS system, and in September 2026, the second phase extended the service to 20 additional centres, primarily serving the Central Region and neighbouring areas.
26 out of 63 centres countrywide, the second phase connected police clearance certificates, including six centres that were previously connected in Nairobi.
Some of the locations covered in the second phase include Samburu-Maralal, Kerugoya, Mwea, Embu, Chuka, Marimati, Maara, Kathwana, Meru and Isiolo
This launch is extending the digital service to the diplomatic community, reducing the need for applicants in this category to travel to other centres to access the service.
PCCs are commonly used to demonstrate an individual’s criminal record status for purposes such as employment and other official requirements.
An officer capturing the biometrics of a good conduct certificate applicant.
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DCI