Kenya has recorded a sharp rise in the number of children born to its citizens living abroad, pointing to a growing shift in migration patterns as more Kenyans relocate in search of work, education, and improved living standards.

New figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show that 5,694 Kenyan births were registered in foreign countries in 2024, reflecting a 14.9 percent rise compared to 4,954 in 2023.

The data was released in the Kenya Vital Statistics Report 2024 and captures births reported by Kenyan citizens outside the country.

According to Kenyan law, a child is a citizen by birth if either parent holds Kenyan citizenship, regardless of where the child is born.

The numbers suggest a steady increase in families settling or spending extended periods abroad, with the United States and the United Kingdom emerging as the top destinations.

The United States accounted for the highest share of registered foreign births, with 1,649 entries or 28.9 percent, followed by the UK with 1,076 births or 18.9 percent. The United Arab Emirates recorded 361 Kenyan births, accounting for 6.3 percent.

Other countries with a high number of registered births included Australia (235), Canada (225), Uganda (197), Saudi Arabia (152), South Africa (151), and Tanzania (145). Additional listings came from Germany (130), Sweden (125), Qatar (104), Yemen (92), Finland (87), and Switzerland (77).

KNBS noted that women aged between 30 and 34 years accounted for the highest proportion of the birth registrations at 35.4 percent.

The rise in overseas births coincided with a period of heavy congestion at immigration centres in Nairobi, where thousands of Kenyans lined up to obtain passports.

This surge in travel demand was driven by economic strain back home, as citizens sought opportunities abroad amid rising living costs and limited job prospects.

It was also during this time that the government ramped up a labour migration programme designed to send thousands of Kenyans overseas, aiming to relieve the pressure on the domestic job market.

Meanwhile, a report by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) published in April placed the Kenyan diaspora population at four million, noting that a small portion—0.01 percent, were not formally registered as citizens by descent.

“It is provided that the cost of citizenship application for dependents of children of Kenyan citizens is Sh100,000 as gazetted by the Cabinet Secretary responsible for immigration services. It is therefore estimated that the cost of such an application for their descendants will also be Sh100,000,” said the PBO.

The office estimated that expanding access to citizenship for these descendants could raise about Sh40 million annually in government revenue.