Why Govt Increased Birth, Death Certificate Fees

Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has defended the government’s decision to increase fees charged on the application of birth and death certificates.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Delegated Legislation on Thursday, December 4, Bitok said the decision was reached due to inflation.

The PS informed the committee that it was the first time the government was revising the fees upwards since 1998 when the administration at the time formulated an Act that imposed the levies.

According to Bitok, the cost of processing the documents also informed the decision, adding that the government spent a lot of money in acquiring the materials used to print birth and death certificates.

“These fees are being revised 36 years down the line, from 1998 up to now, and inflation is currently more than ten times. We proposed to increase it to 200 because of the inflation and cost of material,” Bitok said.

Bitok was forced to clarify the hike in fees after the parliamentary committee raised concerns over the exorbitant amount imposed on Kenyans seeking to acquire the essential documents.

On November 27 this year, the government gazetted the new fees payable by Kenyans who apply for services offered by the Immigration Department including application for an Identity Card, birth and death certificates.

The notice went ahead to impose several penalties on late application of the birth and death certificates, according to the gazette notice, Kenyans would pay up to Ksh500 as a penalty.

Additionally, the government revealed that Kenyans who lose their birth or death certificates would be charged Ksh910, an upsurge from the initial Ksh90.

For Kenyans living in the diaspora, the government announced Ksh19,000 fees that would be charged during the process of acquiring the two documents.

Further, Kenyans seeking to amend errors emanating from the printed documents would incur Ksh1000, up from Ksh30.

In November 2023, former Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced an increase in the fees on IDs and passports, however, Kindiki’s announcement was met with harsh criticism that forced the government to withdraw the charges.