A change of name involves a number of documentary and administrative steps. The process begins with preparation of the necessary documents for a Deed Poll and continues through gazettement and, ultimately, application for a new National Identification Card.

Documents Required for a Deed Poll
The documents required from the client include:

• National Identification Card;
• Birth Certificate;
• Identification Card of a friend who has known the client for over five years;
• Chief’s letter;
• Fingerprints; and
• Passport photographs.

Preparation of the Deed Poll Documents
The next step is preparation of the application for a Deed Poll on change of name.
The client also signs a Statutory Declaration of Identity in the client’s old name. A friend of the client similarly signs a Statutory Declaration of Identity.
Once these documents have been signed, they are taken together with the supporting documents for stamp duty at the Land Registry.

Gazettement of the Change of Name
The change of name is then gazetted.
Once the change has been gazetted, the client signs an after-Deed Poll Statutory Declaration of Identity bearing the new name.

Application for a New Identification Card
The next stage is the application for a new National Identification Card reflecting the new name.
Where the date of birth appearing on the Birth Certificate and Identification Card is the same, and the client is not changing all their names, the client proceeds for fingerprints at NSSF and is issued with a waiting card for the new Identification Card. The document indicates that collection normally takes approximately two weeks.

What Happens Where a Person Changes All Their Names?
Where the client is changing all of his or her names, the client’s parents are required to sign an affidavit to assist the client in obtaining an Identification Card bearing the correct new name and reflecting the change of name.

What if the Dates of Birth on the ID and Birth Certificate Do Not Match?
Where the date of birth appearing on the Identification Card does not correspond with that appearing on the Birth Certificate, the client signs an affidavit to facilitate issuance of an Identification Card containing both the correct name and correct date of birth.
In such a case, verification of the client’s Birth Certificate is required.

The documents required for verification of the Birth Certificate are:

• A copy of the request letter for verification from the National Registration Bureau at NSSF;
• A copy of the client’s Birth Certificate; and
• An invoice payable through eCitizen.

Once the Birth Certificate is certified as a true copy of the original and duly verified by the Civil Registration Department at Hass Plaza, a letter confirming the verification is issued.

The client thereafter returns to NSSF and submits the verification letter together with the other required documents to facilitate processing of the new Identification Card with the correct names and date of birth.

The client is then issued with a waiting card for the new Identification Card.

Do You Need a Lawyer to Change Your Name in Kenya?
Legal assistance can make the process considerably easier, particularly where:

• You intend to change your entire name;
• Your identification documents contain inconsistencies;
• Your Birth Certificate requires verification;
• You are unsure which supporting declarations or affidavits are required; or
• You want assistance with the process from preparation of the Deed Poll through to gazettement and updating your identification records.

At P. A. Kwega & Co. Advocates, we assist clients with the legal process of change of name in Kenya, including preparation of the necessary documentation and guidance through the subsequent administrative steps.