How to Apply for a Birth Certificate in Kenya

This article outlines the process to apply for a birth certificate in Kenya. A birth certificate is a crucial document that every Kenyan citizen should have.

The national government immigration and registration of person’s main offices in Kenya are located in Bishop House, Upper Hill in Nairobi.

However, when you apply for a birth certificate in Kenya, you do not have to go to Bishop House. The registration process is accessed through the eCitizen portal. One can also apply from any Huduma centre or County Civil Registry offices.

A Birth Certificate provides proof that one is a Kenyan and similarly is required by pupils and students applying to sit for their National Examinations. It is also useful when applying for a National Identification Card when one turns 18. The document is also required when one is applying for a Kenyan Passport.

Birth Notification or Registration

As soon as a child is born, he/she has a right to a name, an identity and nationality for official identity and recognition. The child also has a right not to be vulnerable to theft/trafficking, arraignment in a court of law or to be subjected to child marriage.
To register a child, you need to fill birth notification form at the hospital where the birth took place or at a Chief’s office in cases of home birth.

Details Required in Birth Notification and Registration Include;

1. Name of the newly born baby
2. Date and place of birth
3. Sex of the child
4. Type of birth (single/multiple)
5. Nature of birth (alive/dead)
6. Name, age and marital status, previous births to, residential area and district of mother
7. Name of the father (for married couples)
8. Signature of the applicant

How to Apply for a Birth Certificate in Kenya

There are three scenarios that you can face when applying for a birth certificate in Kenya. They are applications for:

• Child’s Current Birth Certificate
• Adult Current Birth Certificate
• Late Registration Of A Birth

Application for Child Current Birth Certificate

This application is for births where a notification was issued at the hospital. The application must be submitted in the parent/guardian account for applicants below 18 years.  The application should be submitted at least 30 days after the date of birth. This option is also used to replace lost birth certificates.

Procedure Applying Current Birth Certificate

• Fill in the online application form
• Upload all required documents
• Pay for your application
• Await feedback, once the certificate is ready, you will be notified via SMS.

Requirements

1. A scanned copy of the birth notification
2. Scanned copy of the National ID for applicants above 18 years
3. Scanned copy of the parent’s ID
4. For replacements, a scanned copy of the original birth certificate.

Worth Noting When Applying for a Birth Certificate

• All attachments should be in PDF format.
• All updates on the application will be communicated via SMS.
• You will receive an SMS alert once the certificate is ready for collection.
• The application should be submitted at least 30 days after the date of birth.

Application for Adult Current Birth Certificate

This application is for births which were registered within 6 months either by a Chief or in the hospital. This is a situation where the persons involved did not bother to apply for a birth certificate while the child was young.

Steps to Follow

1. Fill in the online application form
2. Upload all required documents
3. Pay for your application
4. Await feedback, once the certificate is ready, you will be notified via SMS.

Requirements

1. A scanned copy of the birth notification
2. You must have a scanned copy of the parent’s ID

Application for a Late Registration of a Birth

This type of application is for births that were registered after 6 months either by a Chief or in the hospital. This application should be submitted in the parent/guardian account for applicants below 18 years. This application must be completed after approval from CRS ACK Bishop’s gate offices.

Steps to follow

1. Visit ACK Bishops Gate CRS office for approval
2. Fill in the online application form
3. Pay for your application
4. Await feedback, once the certificate is ready, you will be notified via SMS.

Requirements

1. A scanned copy of the birth notification
2. Scanned copy of the National ID for applicants above 18 years
3. A copy of the parent’s ID (scanned)
4. For replacements, a scanned copy of the original birth certificate.

How to Replace Lost Birth for a Person Born In Nairobi

This is how you replace a lost birth certificate in Kenya. If you had applied for a birth certificate and it got lost or mutilated, you can apply for another one. This method can also be used to add a missing name.

This option is for people within Nairobi region. Those born outside Nairobi should visit Hass Plaza, 4th Floor at Lower Hill Road. Others born outside Nairobi should visit Civil Registry offices in their County for assistance.

Requirements for Replacing Lost Birth

1. Birth certificate entry number.
2. Scanned copy of the parent’s ID.
3. Scanned copy of the original birth certificate.

How to Replace Lost Birth Certificate

1. Log into ecitizen account and select civil registration services.
2. Click on the make application link option.
3. After reading the instructions, click on apply now.
4. Select the replacement birth certificate option and click continue.
5. Fill in all the details and make payment.
6. Wait to be notified via SMS to go and collect your birth certificate.

A Note About Lost Birth Certificate

If you do not have a copy of the lost birth certificate, visit the ACK Bishop House located at Bishop’s Road off Ngong Road. They will give a reference or entry number that you will attach.

Final Thoughts on How to Apply For a Birth Certificate in Kenya

Thus, for any of the above birth certificate applications, you will require an eCitizen account. If do not have one, you can check here on how to create an eCitizen account. Decide the type of application you are supposed to make before clicking on it.

Proceed with the application process filling in the required information correctly. Upload the required documents in PDF format. Proceed and make payment before submitting your application.

Note that after payment, you just wait for your application to be processed. Once notified, it is the only time you will go for pick up.