From the moment you start your life to when you become an adult, you will need to use your birth certificate. A birth certificate contains some of the most important information about yourself including your full names, your parents’ names, your nationality and your date of birth.
This information is required in several aspects of your life. Some of the areas you will need to use a birth certificate include enrolling in school, accessing government services, applying for a passport and facilitating marriage registration.
In Kenya, the Department of Civil Registration Services (CRS) is in charge of issuing birth certificates. Every birth certificate contains a unique serial number at the top right corner which is used to identify the individual in government records.
Birth certificates should always be kept in a safe place. However, losing it shouldn’t be a reason to panic. Replacing a lost birth certificate in Kenya is a quick and simple process that can be done by either visiting a Huduma Center or applying online through eCitizen. Here is a step by step guide on how you can replace a lost birth certificate in Kenya.
Requirements to replace a lost birth certificate in Kenya
- A copy of the original birth certificate (if available)
- A copy of the birth notification
- A copy of your National ID
- A copy of your parents’/ guardians’ National ID (for minors)
- Application fee
Online process to replace a lost birth certificate in Kenya
- Log in to your eCitizen account and click on the Civil Registration Services tab
- Select Current Birth Certificate service then choose Apply for Replacement
- Read the instructions and requirements on the page then click Next
- Select Replace Birth Certificate, the pickup location you prefer ie Huduma Centers in Nairobi, and your residential area then click Next
- Enter details of the child/applicant ie under or over 18, if they were born in a health facility, county of birth, if you want to amend the child’s name, name of the child, date of birth and gender then click Next
- Provide the parent’s/ guardian’s information including their identification document, and name then click Next
- Upload the required documents ie the scanned copy of the birth notification, scanned copy of the birth certificate if available, scanned copy of the parent’s/guardian’s ID then click Preview
- After verifying the information provided, proceed to make the payment
- Pay the application fee (Ksh 1,000) then download the receipt
- Submit the application and wait for approximately 2 weeks for processing. You will receive an SMS notification informing you when your birth certificate is ready for collection
- Proceed to your selected pickup point with your ID to collect the birth certificate
Physical process to replace a birth certificate in Kenya
- Visit a Civil Registration Department office or Huduma Center in your area
- Carry all the required documents
- Request for Form BDA1 which is used to apply for birth certificates
- Fill it in with the relevant information
- Pay for the processing fee at the counter and get the receipt
- Submit the filled application form with copies of the parent’s/ guardian’s ID, the birth notification and payment receipt
- After the registrar verifies the information, the application will be accepted and processing will begin
- Processing can take up to 4 weeks depending on the workload of the department
- Once the birth certificate is ready, you will receive a notification to go and collect it where you made your application
- Carry your ID and payment receipt to collect the birth certificate
Note: a birth notification can be obtained from the facility where you were born