A birth certificate is a vital document that proves your identity and citizenship in Kenya.
It is also required for various services such as enrolling in school and applying for an ID card, passport, or visa.
However, sometimes you may lose your birth certificate due to various reasons such as theft, fire, or misplacement.
In such cases, you need to apply for a replacement of your lost birth certificate as soon as possible.
There are two ways to apply for a birth certificate replacement in Kenya: Online application and physical application.
Here are the steps for each method:
Online Application
This method involves using the eCitizen portal to apply for a birth certificate replacement.
You will need the following documents:
- Parents’ identification cards (scanned copies).
- A copy of the lost birth certificate or the birth notification (scanned copy).
The procedure is as follows:
- Log in to your eCitizen account or create one if you don’t have it.
- Select Civil Registration Department and choose Birth Certificate Service.
- Proceed to select ‘apply for a replacement of birth certificate’ on the drop-down menu.
- Fill in the required details and upload your documents.
- Pay the fee of Ksh180 using M-Pesa or any other payment option available.
- Download and print your invoice and wait for an SMS confirmation with a reference number.
- Visit any Huduma Centre with your invoice and reference number to collect your replaced birth certificate.
Physical Application
This method involves visiting the office of the Registration of Births and Deaths in your county or the nearest Huduma Centre.
You will need the following documents:
- Copy of birth notification or birth certificate. If you don’t have them, you can visit your county’s civil registry office to get them.
- Original ID/Passport/Birth Certificate of both parents. Copies of ID or Passport of parents. If one or both parents are dead, you will need to present the death certificate.
- A School Leaving certificate if you are above 18 years old.
The procedure is as follows:
- Present your documents to the registrar at the office and confirm your birth details.
- Fill out a B1 form and submit it back with all the documents and a fee of Ksh300.
- Wait for the processing time and collect your replaced birth certificate on the date given to you.