Huduma Kenya has explained why parents may be required to apply for their children’s birth certificates in the county where the children were born.

The clarification comes after some parents who have moved to different counties raised concerns about being referred back to the county of birth when seeking birth certificates.

Huduma Kenya explained that birth records are kept and retrieved from the county where the birth took place. This means that parents may be required to return to that county when applying for the certificate.

For example, a parent who gives birth in Nairobi but later moves to Nakuru may be required to apply for the child’s birth certificate in Nairobi.

The agency said having a birth notification does not change where the official birth record is stored. The records remain linked to the county where the birth was registered.

Applications can be made through a Huduma Centre or a Civil Registration Department office in the child’s county of birth.

Applicants are generally required to provide the birth notification, identification documents for the parents and the clinic card. The application fee is KSh250.

The government has been working to move birth certificate applications online to make the process easier for parents and reduce the need for physical visits.

However, Huduma Kenya explained that even with the online application process, applicants may still need to visit a registry office physically to complete the processing.

The county-of-birth requirement has become a challenge for families who have relocated to other parts of the country, particularly those who now live far from where their children were born.

The explanation is intended to clarify why some parents are redirected to another county despite having the necessary documents to apply for a birth certificate.

Huduma Kenya’s clarification also highlights the importance of keeping birth records properly registered, as the information is used when processing official documents for children.