Digital Birth & Death Certificates Introduced: What You Should Know

The Ministry of Interior on Tuesday, January 31 announced the introduction of digital birth and death certificates to be issued by the government from March 1, 2023. The move is part of President William Ruto‘s push to digitize government services.

The new digital birth certificates will be introduced alongside Unique Personal Identifiers (UPIs). The Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) will be a government database-linked single identification number, unique to each person and used to organise personal information.

According to the Interior Ministry, the UPI will act as a lifelong identification number and will make it easier to access government services.

One currently has to visit a Huduma Centre or Civil Registration Department offices to apply for a birth certificate. Requirements include a birth notification and identification numbers for both parents, or, if the parents are deceased, a death certificate.

Those eligible to apply are parents and guardians of newborns as well as rescue centres or children’s homes taking care of the newborns.

It costs Ksh60 for a birth certificate with no amendment, while those with amendments to the child’s name will cost you Ksh100. A birth certificate with amendments on the parent’s name also costs Ksh100.

“A Birth Certificate provides proof that one is a Kenyan and similarly is required by pupils and students applying to sit for their National Examinations,” the ministry noted.

Death certificates will also be applied for and issued digitally. Currently, a family or friend is required to visit the local district registrar’s office (where the death occurred) to apply for a death certificate. The applicant will then fill forms and attach a burial permit to enable the search of records at the District Civil Registrars’ Office.

The applicant is charged a death certificate fee of Ksh50 and any record amendment fee as advised by the office in case amendments are required on the original record of death. Amendments typically cost around Ksh90.

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