Kenyans applying for national identity cards and passports will no longer have to pay authentication fees for birth certificates, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced on International Identity Day during celebrations at Governor’s Park in Homa Bay Town.
The CS said the move eliminates unnecessary financial obstacles and aligns with the government’s vision to simplify access to legal identity documents.
"Effective today, the civil registration services will no longer charge any authentication fees for a birth certificate when applying for ID and passports. This step removes unnecessary financial barriers and aligns with our vision to simplify ID access," he stated.
Murkomen further announced that the government intends to remove all charges on birth and death certificate issuance to ensure every child born in Kenya can obtain a certificate, regardless of income or location.
Currently, the government charges Sh. 200 for birth and death certificate registration.
“The ministry is reviewing this policy with a view to making issuance of these certificates free of charge, to ensure every child born in Kenya has access to a birth certificate regardless of income or location,” the CS added.
In addition, Murkomen revealed that a policy review is underway to recognise and document small and unregistered communities, many of whom face systemic barriers to obtaining identification.
"We are also implementing a policy review to recognise and document small and unrecognised communities that still face systemic challenges in securing documentation. Every Kenyan counts, and every Kenyan must be counted," he affirmed.
The reforms are part of the broader ‘Usajili Mashinani’ initiative, a nationwide grassroots registration campaign designed to improve access to identification services in rural, border, and underserved areas. The program will begin in the most marginalised regions, targeting populations that have traditionally struggled to access government services.
Murkomen also highlighted the introduction of user-friendly systems, allowing citizens to initiate and track applications online, providing real-time information on the progress and status of national identification applications.
He stressed that identity is a fundamental human right and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieving universal birth registration. The Ministry of Interior aims to expand Civil Registration Services to all 290 constituencies by 2027.
“Every child must have access to birth registration services as close to their place of birth as possible,” he said.
As part of the reforms, the government launched a real-time biometric ID verification system during the event, designed to strengthen document integrity and simplify verification across agencies. International Identity Day, celebrated annually, emphasizes the importance of legal recognition and ensures every person is counted, recognized, and able to claim their rights.
