When going through the pregnancy journey, beyond planning ahead for your baby’s arrival, budgeting finances, and finding a maternity hospital, knowledge on necessary documentation like a birth certificate is also important.
Applying and following up on your child’s birth certificate enables them to have a smooth sailing where this document is required. In Kenya, you need a birth certificate to enroll a child in school, verify their age before acquiring an identification card, obtain their passport, and apply for a national ID card.
You can apply for a birth certificate at the eCitizen Portal, Huduma Centre at the District Birth and Death Registries. Registration for children born in Nairobi happens at the City Hall. All children born in Kenya must be registered for this document within their first six months of birth.
If you’re expecting or just became a newborn parent, here’s how to get a birth certificate in Kenya to register your baby per the law.
Application for a Newborn’s Birth Certificate in Kenya
The ideal time to get started with the application is after birth to avoid last-minute rushing and complete the process at a manageable pace.
Requirements for Kenyan Birth Certificate Application
Parents require the following documents when obtaining a newborn birth certificate:
- The acknowledgement of birth notification (ABN) 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 don’t have the hospital notification for reasons such as home or enroute births, you can still apply for a birth certificate but it will be treated as a late registration instead. You’ll also need to present additional proof of birth and identification for the child such as an antenatal clinic booklet.
The Process to Apply for a Birth Certificate in Kenya
The application process for a birth certificate is quite straightforward. If you’re doing it online, simply:
- Fill out the form
- Upload the required documents
- Pay the fees
- Submit the form plus documents
The cost of applying for a newborn’s birth certificate in Kenya is Ksh. 200 as of 2026. Processing the document can take anywhere from 2 weeks to a month depending mostly on the location.
As of June 2026, parents can now download their ready birth certificates from the eCitizen platform instead of having to visit government offices.
Applying for Late Birth Certificate Registration in Kenya
A late registration is any birth that has not been registered or whose birth notification has not been sent to the Immigration Centre within the first 6 months .
The required documents for a late registration of birth certificates are;
- Your National ID Card if you’re above 18
- 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
The cost for late birth certificate application is Ksh. 500.
Applying for a Kenyan Birth Certificate While Living Abroad
If your child was born abroad but to Kenyan citizen parents, you might need to apply for a Kenyan birth certificate for them. The process takes longer because documents have to be sent from Kenya but it’s still possible.
You’ll need to visit the Kenyan embassy where you live and submit the following document:
- Two Application Forms (BDA – Birth and Deaths Registration form) duly filled
- Two photocopies of both parents’ passports. The copies of the Kenyan parent’s passport have to include pages 29-32 (for the A Series Passport), pages 45-48 (for the B Series Passport), pages 61-64 (for the C Series 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
The cost for applying for a Kenyan birth certificate when you live abroad is USD150 payable during the application.
Amending Details on a Kenyan 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.”
The cost for making changes on you or your child’s birth certificate is Ksh 1000.
Important disclaimer
This article is meant for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for Government advice. Consult Huduma Centre or eCitizen before making any decision with regards to applying, amending or replacing a birth certificate. Contact eCitizen (+254 780 206 206) or Huduma Centre (+254 20 6900000).