A birth certificate is a very important document for every
person and comes into play when making various applications such as applying
for a National ID, registering for KCSE and KCPE, applying for a passport, and
many more government applications.
It is thus recommended to follow up on your child’s birth
certificate to enable him or her to have a smooth sailing where this document
is required. A child born in Kenya should be registered for a birth certificate
immediately after birth or 6 months after.
One can do so at eCitizen Portal, at Huduma Centre or at the
District Birth and Death Registries.
Application For New Borns
- Parents are required to submit;
- The notification of birth from the hospital (Copy and original).
- The original National ID cards, birth certificates or passports of the parents.
- Application forms (BDA – Birth and Deaths Registration Form) duly filled.
If you bore your child in the village or were born in the
village, then your Sub-Chief is licensed to register births. However, if you
bore your child in Nairobi or were born in Nairobi, all births are registered
at City Hall. Alternatively, you can register your child at Huduma Centre. If
you have all the necessary documents and meet the requirements, birth
certificate charges are between KES 50 to KES 150. Charges vary depending on
the application; newborn, over 18 years, or amending a birth certificate.
Applying For Late Registration.
Any birth that has not been registered or whose birth
notification has not been sent to the Immigration Centre within the first 6
months is deemed late registration. To apply, the documents required are;
- Your National ID Card.
- Copies of your parents National ID Cards, birth certificates or passports.
- Your Class Eight or Form Four Leaving Certificates.
- A print out from the National Registration Bureau in case you can’t access your parents’ IDs.
- Your Baptismal card.
- Child immunization clinic card.
- Letter from employer indicating the date of birth.
- A filled out application for registration of late birth.
Application For Lost Birth Certificates
For lost birth certificates, visit Huduma Centre and they will help you replace and get a new one.
Applying For A Birth Certificate While Living Abroad
This is only applicable if your child was born abroad but
to Kenyan parents and takes longer as documents have to be sent from Kenya.
Visit the Kenyan embassy where you live and submit:
- Two
Application Forms (BDA – Birth and Deaths Registration form) duly filled
(Click here to get the Form)
- Two
photocopies of both parents’ passports. The copies of the Kenyan parent’s
passport have to include pages 29-32(for the A SeriesPassport),
pages45-48(for the B-series Passport), pages61-64(for the CSeries
Passport), and the photo page.
- Two
photocopies of the child’s Birth certificate or notification issued by the
civil authorities or the hospital in the country of birth (either an
international version or copies of the original and an official English
translation)
- Two
self-addressed stamped A5 envelopes for postage purposes.
- Two
copies of parents’ marriage certificate either international or translated
into English if legally married.
- A
non-refundable fee of $10.00 for each certificate payable only by bank
transfer (Embassy of the Republic of Kenya, IBAN:
DE63100400000266014004) or EC-Debit card at the Embassy.
Cash payments will not be accepted. Overpaid amounts will not be refunded.
Enclose a copy of the bank transfer slips together with the application.
Amending a Birth Certificate
In case you want to amend your birth certificate, this is
what Immigration Kenya says, “ Within a duration of two years after
registration of birth, the names could be changed on application but after
production of relevant documentary evidence in support of the amendments.
After two years, you can add names to the existing ones but you cannot
remove the names previously on the birth certificate, again documentary
evidence will be required.
It is important to note that the DATE and PLACE OF BIRTH CANNOT be changed
under any circumstances.
To know more on amending a birth certificate, visit
Immigration offices and make inquiries.