How to legally change your name in Kenya

Under the Registration of Documents Act of Kenya, the following procedure must be undertaken to effect a name change.

Apply In-Person:

1. Visit the Registrar Generals Department and have a copy of the Deed Poll drafted.<br
2. Complete a deed poll prescribed as ( Form 1 ) of the Regulations to the Act;
3. Make an application for registration which is prescribed as Form A in the Registration of Documents (Forms) Regulations;
4. The Deed Poll is accompanied by a birth certificate of the applicant.
5. The application is also accompanied by a statutory declaration prescribed under the Act (Form 6). This declaration is sworn by a person resident in Kenya and who personally knows the applicant by the name they want to change.
6. The documents are presented to the Registrar of Documents for registration
7. Upon registration, the registrar causes the deed poll to be advertised in the Kenya Gazette. Name change is effected at this point.

Sometimes, after name change has been effected under the procedure above, the person feels the need to reflect the change in their identity card. Under the Registration of Persons Act, the process of changing the name in your identity card is as follows:

1. Fill Deed poll on change of name (form 1) and present it to the Registration Officer. This form gives the particulars of the change. This form can be obtained from the registrar general’s office or downloaded online from the following link:Online
2. Be in possession of a combination of any of the following documents depending on the type of name change;
   1. Marriage Certificate
   2. Deed Poll
   3. School leaving Certificates
   4. Sworn affidavits
   5. Confirmation letters from administrative office
   6. Birth Certificate
   7. Copy of parents ID card.
3. Surrender the current identity card and pay a fee of Ksh 1000/=.
4. The registration officer signs a certificate in a form prescribed in the Fourth schedule to be issued to the applicant;
5. The applicant’s photo is taken for the purpose of enabling a new identity card to be issued to him.
6. The Registration officer forwards the application form, the photograph and the surrendered identity card to the Principal Registrar who records the changes in the register of persons; and cancels the surrendered I.D. card.
7. After the expiration of sixty days from the issue of the certificate by the registration officer, the applicant appears before the registration officer at the registration office specified in the third column of the certificate, and surrenders the certificate in exchange for a new identity card.