The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Interior on Sunday, May 26, urged Kenyan citizens with children born abroad to apply for birth certificates.
Through Civil Registration Services, Kenyans in the diaspora were told that not having a birth certificate could prevent their children from accessing other key documents and government services.
Additionally, having a birth certificate would ensure that the children can apply for Kenyan citizenship if they decide to do so.
The Kenyans were further assured that this further opened an avenue for dual citizenship.
Should they choose not to apply for birth certificates for their children, the Ministry of Interior warned that the kids would potentially be locked out of inheritance and property rights within the republic.
Children in the diaspora without birth certificates further will find it impossible to apply for Kenyan identity documents.
Some of the critical documents the children would miss out on include a passport and national identity card.
These are documents needed when applying for key government services, including health and pension benefits.
National identity cards are also mandatory when accessing revenue services as well as opening bank accounts within the country.
The Ministry of Interior charges Ksh19,500 (USD150) for foreign registration of birth in missions abroad.
On May 16, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki introduced a mandatory Personal Identification Number (PIN) for all Kenyan citizens born in the country or abroad.
“The registrar shall give each Kenyan a unique PIN which will be issued at the registration of a person’s birth and shall be used as the unique personal identification number during the registration of death of the same person,” Kindiki stated then.
