Applying for a Kenya Birth Certificate

In Kenya, every child born, whether in a hospital, at home or elsewhere, is entitled to receive a birth certificate issued by the government. 

The Civil Registration Services (CRS) is the government department responsible for birth certificate registration in Kenya.

Operating under the Ministry of Interior & Coordination of National Government, the CRS derives its authority from The Births and Deaths Registration Act, Chapter 149 of the Constitution of Kenya.

The CRS department plays an important role in maintaining a comprehensive and ongoing record of births and deaths.

Birth registration grants legal rights and enables access to essential services like health care and education.

Please not that a birth certificate does not serves as an official proof of Kenyan citizenship. It is also necessary when applying for:

• A National Identification Card upon reaching the age of 18 years.
• Students applying to take their Kenya National Examinations.
• A Kenyan passport.

Eligibility for applying for a kenyan birth certificate include:

• Parents or guardians of a newborn child
• Rescue centers or children's homes responsible for the care of newly born abandoned babies.
• The child must be born in Kenya and of Kenyan parents

For children born abroad, click on this link to learn more about How to register a foreign born child in Kenya

Below are the different types of birth applications in Kenya, depending on your current situation:

1. Application for Current Birth Certificate (under 6 months old): Register the birth and obtain a notification.
• If born in a hospital, medical facilities provide a birth notification card.
• For home births, the Sub-Chief authorizes registration and issues the notification after filling out the Register of Birth (Form A1).
2. Application for Late Birth Certificate: For births not registered within 6 months, start at the local sub-chief’s office if you lack a birth notification. Fill out the Late Birth Certificate Application (Form B3) and submit it to your District Registry or ACK Bishop House in Nairobi opposite NSSF Building. 
   Required documents include:
• Baptismal certificate
• Child immunization clinic card
• Municipal notification of birth
• School leaving certificate
• Identity card or passport
3. Applying as an Adult (18 Years Age): Adults without a birth certificate can apply at their local sub-chief's office, District Registry, or Huduma Centre by providing proof of their date of birth. Collection is notified via text after 21 working days. 
   Required documents include:
• Identity Card
• Parents' ID/Passport/Birth Certificates
• School leaving certificate
• Baptismal Card

For those lacking parents' ID, include a National Registration Bureau identification report printouts.

You can apply for a birth certificate in Kenya through the following channels:

1. Civil Registration Services eCitizen Portal: This is the official online platform for accessing record of births and death registries services in Kenya. By creating an account on this portal, you can conveniently apply for a birth certificate online.
2. Huduma Centres: These are physical centers spread across various locations in Kenya where you can access multiple government services, including the application process for birth certificates.
3. District Birth and Death Registries: Located in each district, these Civil Registration Services (CRS) government offices allows a person to apply for a birth certificate in person.
4. ACK Bishop House in Nairobi: This Civil Registration Services (CRS)serves as a location where residents of Nairobi County can receive assistance with their birth certificate applications and collect the birth certificate when ready for collection.

If your birth certificate in Kenya is lost, burned, mutilated, damaged, or you would like to amend details,  you can apply for a replacement by following the steps outlined in this link: How to replace a lost birth certificate in Kenya

E-Citizen Civil Registration Service Application Portal

Ministry of Interior & Coordination of National Government 

Form A1

Form B3