Guidance

Kenya: Knowledge Base profile

Published 18 September 2025

About: Kenya

This document contains useful information about Kenya which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

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Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 3.0
• published for Home Office staff on 11 July 2025

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated in name alignment to show when a customer can change their name at the UK High Commission or when they need to travel to Kenya.

Kenya: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Kenya.

Names in Kenya consist of a:

• given name
• middle or tribal name
• surname or the father’s tribal name

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Kenya.

For children under 2 years old, this takes place at the local registration office.

Change of name by deed poll is prepared and registered at the Registrar of documents in the Ministry of Land, in Nairobi, and published in the Kenya Gazette. If changing name from overseas, a power of attorney can be used. The process to change a name by deed poll can take up to 3 months.

Name alignment

Customers can apply to change their name or to correct their date or place of birth on their Kenya passport in the country they are in, at the Kenya High Commission, provided they have the correct documents.

Kenya: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Kenya.

Dual nationality is recognised in Kenya since 27 August 2010.

Kenyans, who lost their citizenship by becoming a citizen of another country before 27 August 2010, are able to regain their Kenyan citizenship.

Kenya: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in Kenya.

Legitimacy

Kenya recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

A child is considered:

• legitimate if their:
  • parents are married at the time of birth
  • parents marry after the birth
• illegitimate if their parents never marry

Parental responsibility

In Kenya both parents will have parental responsibility if they are married at the time of birth. If the parents marry after the child is born, the father will gain equal parental responsibility from the date of marriage.

If the parents have never married, the mother will hold parental responsibility, and the father can get parental responsibility by either:

• a court order
• both parents signing a parental responsibility agreement

Kenya: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Kenya.

Adoption is legal in Kenya.

Kenya: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Kenya.

Surrogacy is not regulated in Kenya.

Kenya: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Kenya.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Kenya.

Kenya: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in Kenya.

Civil partnerships and same sex marriages are not recognised in Kenya.

Kenya recognises:

• civil marriage
• customary marriage
• Christian marriage
• Hindu marriage
• Islamic marriage

Polygamy is legal for customary and Islamic marriages only.

Kenya: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents from Kenya.

Birth certificates

Birth records in Kenya are held centrally.

Each community is responsible for notifying and registering births that occur within their area.

Births must be registered within 3 months. Late registration is allowed and incurs a fee.

A new certificate is printed if there are any errors on the original certificate.

Re-issued certificates may have a different birth entry number to the original certificate.

Marriage certificates

If a couple are married at the registrar office, it is recorded in the central registry. If a couple marry in a church, mosque, or hall it is recorded in the venue’s records.

Certificates issued at the registrar general are typed and those issued from church or other venue are handwritten.

A marriage certificate is issued the same day if:

• the couple marry at the registrar office
• the marriage is conducted by an authorised person at another venue, for example hotel, garden, church
• the marriage is recognised under the Kenya marriage act

Civil marriage

Civil marriages are registered with the Registrar General’s office closest to where the marriage took place.

The marriage must be registered within 14 days. Late registration is allowed and may incur an additional fee.

Christian marriage

The couple must submit a written notice to the Registrar of Marriages at least 21 days prior to the ceremony.

The marriage must be registered within 14 days. Late registration is allowed and may incur an additional fee.

Hindu marriage

Hindu marriages in Kenya must be registered with the Registrar General for them to be recognised under Kenya law and for a civil register certificate to be issued.

Islamic marriage

In Kenya the Chief Kadhi conducts Islamic marriages under the Sharia law. It is not mandatory to issue a certificate, they are often registered later when the couple obtains the certificate. On an Islamic marriage certificate the place of marriage and registration must be the same.

To register the Islamic marriage a statutory declaration stating the date of marriage and other details to be on the certificate is required.

Customary marriage

Customary marriage is recognised in Kenya, but no certificate is issued until the couple register the marriage with the Registrar General.

Identity documents

Kenya citizens, aged 18 years or older must hold a national identity card. Foreign residents in Kenya are issued with an alien registration card.

If a foreign national takes up employment in Kenya they must hold a work permit. Their spouse and children (under the age of 21), will be issued with a dependent’s pass.

Once the permit is processed, the permit holder can print out their own copy of their work permit or dependent’s pass.

Immigration officers stamp every person’s passport on entry or exit from all Kenya airports.

Customers can apply to change their name or to correct their date or place of birth on their Kenya passport in the country they are in, at the Kenya High Commission.