A birth certificate is the first identification document that enables the holder to access/ acquire some government services and identification documents therefore once Lost, Stolen or Damaged it should replace immediately.

Apply in Person:
In Kenya:

1. In case someone has lost/burnt/stolen/misplaced his or her birth certificate he or she shall approach the Office of the Registration of Births and Deaths or Huduma Centres immediately for a replacement Huduma centre Contacts & Location
2. For this process, the applicant will be required to have a copy of their birth notification or birth certificate. In case they don’t have a copy, he/she will be required to go to the Civil Registry in your County to retrieve one.
3. For children below two years, their parents can visit the nearest Huduma Centre to acquire notification of birth.
4. Where the applicant is 18 years and above and was born within Nairobi County, the applicant can visit either the Office of the Registration of Births and Deaths located at Bishop Plaza along Upper-hill. The building is opposite Milimani Law Courts or visit any Huduma Centre located countrywide.
5. If born outside Nairobi County, visit Hass Plaza, 4th Floor at Lower Hill Road, or any Huduma Centre located countrywide.
6. Here, the applicant should present the notification slip, which simply validates the date of birth, and once validated, the applicant is issued Form (B1) to be legibly completed, and submit it to the civil registration officer for processing.
7. The processing fee is usually about Sh50 to Sh180, the applicant is issued with an awaiting card/slip as an acknowledgment, which should be surrendered while collecting the certificate.
8. Once the application is filed, applicants will be required to wait for a specific period before their certificate is processed and made available for withdrawal.
9. If the birth certificate is damaged or defaced, or the particulars thereon have become illegible the applicant will be required to surrender the damaged certificate before he is issued a duplicate birth certificate.

Abroad Application:

1. Applicants should visit the nearest Kenya Diplomatic (embassy/ consulate/ High Commission) and express their interest at the front desk.
2. Submit the supporting documentation as listed under the “Required Documents” section below to be validated by the embassy staff and obtain a Replacement of Lost/Damaged Birth, Marriage, or Death Certificates Search Form. A list of the required documentation (checklist) and copies of the application forms can also be downloaded via Kenya’s Diplomatic website (if available) e.g.
   • Replacement of Lost/Damaged Birth, Marriage or Death Certificates Search Form (Berlin Embassy)
3. Along with the completed application form, submit the required documents and pay the required application fee, which varies from one embassy to another. At the time of submission, a waiting card/slip as an acknowledgment will be issued to the applicant.
4. Processing of the certificate takes 03 months; however, this period may vary from one embassy to another.
5. The application file is then forwarded to Kenya's centralized production center for processing. Upon successful processing, the birth certificate is returned to the embassy/consulate where the application was filed to be issued/ collected by the client against the waiting card/slip and identity document.

Please Note

Applicants who want their processed duplicate birth certificate sent to them by post are advised to attach one of the following to their request(s):

• A registered self-addressed envelope with the appropriate stamps (letter recommendée)
• A pre-paid envelope from any recognized courier service provider.
• Note: Not all embassies offer the post/mail return service (please consult with the embassy)

Note: You can file your application via mail, in some embassies, please confirm with your embassy, if they offer this service since not all embassies offer the service. E.g. Kenya’s embassy in the United State of America.

In Kenya Requirements

• Duly complement and signed Search Form (B1)
• National Identity Card Original ID Card/Passport/Births Certificate of both parents.
  • In case you don’t have the parent’s ID, you can visit the National Registration Bureau for a printout.
• A Death certificate. In case one of the parents is dead.
• A baptismal card, School leaving certificate.

Abroad application requirements:

• Two (2) duly filled search forms. E.g. Replacement of Lost/Damaged Birth, Marriage or Death Certificates Application Form (Berlin Embassy)
• Two (2) photocopies of the lost/damaged birth certificate.
• Two (2) photocopies of the photo page of the applicant’s passport.
• Two (2) photocopies of the applicant’s National Identity Card.
• Proof of payment (Bank deposit)
• Any other supporting documents as requested.

Department of Civil Registration- Head Office
Ministry of Interior & Coordination of National Government.
Hass Plaza 4th Floor, Lower Hill Road,
P.O Box 49179- 00100 Nairobi
Tel: +254-20-2714987/8
Fax: 2714989
Email; director@crd.go.ke
Website Ministry Contact details
Huduma centre Contacts & Location
Kenya’s Diplomatic Missions Contact Details

• This process can be initiated if the holder of the certificate is of the legal age of 18 years and above or a parent/guardian in the case of a child, who’s birth certificate is either lost, stolen or destroyed can apply.

• The processing fee is usually about Sh50 to Sh180 (In Kenya).

Note: If the application is filed abroad, the applicant will be charged application fees and postal fee that varies from one consulate/embassy to another; please consult with the nearest Kenya mission for more information.

• A birth certificate is valid forever.

Replacement of Lost/Damaged Birth, Marriage or Death Certificates Application Form (Berlin Embassy)

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

• The time around for processing the application in Kenya is approximately 2 months, while for an abroad application is within 3 months or more.

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is dkisplayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Please provide other instructions related to the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since January 1908.

• Name & address of the applicant
• Telephone number
• Full name of the child at the time of birth
• Place of birth date of birth
• Father’s full name
• Mother’s full name
• Date of registration entry number (the figure shown within the certificate at the top left-hand side)
• other particulars which could help to trace this entry/entry
• Declaration by the applicant

• The birth certificate is the first step towards the full exercise of citizenship. It is proof of citizenship in Kenya and enables the holder to access the rights of a citizen of Kenya., therefore this document should be replaced immediately in case of theft, damage, or misplacement.
• It proves your existence, your place, and the date of birth, it is a legal document that proves and provides the names of your parents. i.e. it shows one’s kinship.
• Without this document and the birth certificate number, citizens are deprived of their most fundamental rights and have no access to social programs and other government services.

These services and documents include:

• National ID Cards
• Passports application
• Visa application
• Application for employment
• Registering for final exams in primary and secondary schools.
• Register your child for the National Hospital Insurance Fund
• Apart from being the first legal acknowledgment of a child’s existence and ticket to citizenship and nationality, a certificate of birth is fundamental to the realization of a number of rights and practical needs such as:-
  • Ensure that children enroll in school at the right age.
  • To prevent child labour by enforcing laws relating to the minimum age for employment.
  • To effectively counter the problem of forced marriage for girls before they are legally eligible without proof of age.
  • Getting a passport.
  • Getting an educational, health and or insurance policy cover for a child.
  • Opening a bank account for a child.
  • Protecting a child orphan from being disinherited by guardians/ relatives
  • Ensure that children in conflict with the law are given special protection and not treated (legally) and practically as adults.
  • Protect children who are trafficked, including through repatriation and family reunion.

Enter other information which might help.

• Birth Certificates can be used as proof of identity.
• It is used to register a child in the national insurance scheme NHIF.
• It is used to register for primary and secondary school examinations.
• A birth certificate is required during the application for a Kenyan passport.

Births and Deaths Registration Act

More information which might help people.