Huduma Kenya Clarifies Rules on Changing Names on Birth Certificates

Huduma Kenya has provided updated guidance on the process of changing or removing names on birth certificates. The agency emphasized that such changes are permitted only for children below the age of two.

This clarification comes after public inquiries about amending children's names on official documents. According to Huduma Kenya, name corrections are allowed within this two-year window if the original name was recorded incorrectly or errors occurred during registration.

The policy aligns with directives from the State Department for Immigration and Citizenship Services, which manages birth registration and related civil services through Huduma Centres and the eCitizen platform. The current fee for making such amendments is Ksh1,000.

Key Points on Name Changes

• Names on birth certificates can be changed or removed only if the child is under two years old.
• Corrections are limited to errors made during initial registration.
• Parents' names on birth certificates cannot be removed.
• After two years, changes require a legal Deed Poll processed by an advocate, with consent from both parents or legal guardians unless otherwise ordered by a court.
• Any changes made after the two-year period must be published in the Kenya Gazette.

Parents who identify mistakes in their child's name are advised to apply for corrections promptly to avoid the more complex legal procedures required after the two-year deadline.