Exiting with the Twins: Getting My Daughters Home to Canada
A lot of people asked me: what happens when the twins are born? How will you get them back to Canada? Here's exactly how it worked.
A lot of people were asking me: what happens when the twins are born? How will I get them back to Canada? I'm going to walk you through exactly what that process looked like — because nobody told me, and I had to figure it out as I went.
The Birth and the Documents
The twins were born with a scheduled C-section, which meant I was in Kenya for their birth. Once the babies were born, I was provided with the birth certificate and documents needed to apply for their passport and citizenship.
The babies were born in Mombasa. Then I took them to Nairobi — an hour plane ride — where I went to the Canadian Embassy to apply for passport and citizenship at the same time.
The DNA Test
I had to bring a paternity test from Canada. Once at the Embassy, I did the DNA test. I had to open the DNA file before I left for Kenya. The DNA swab was flown to Canada, and the results were emailed to the Canadian Consulate.
Once the results were available, the passport could be issued — express passport within 2 to 4 days after the DNA results. The passports were then shipped to me, and I could exit with the twins.
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Three Days in the Hospital
They spent the next three days in the hospital. We stayed as long as possible with them. Until finally — Monday, December 3, 2018 — they were released into my arms.
From here on out, I will never be apart from them again.
What Nobody Tells You About the Exit Process
The paperwork is real. The waiting is real. And the moment you finally hold your children and board a plane home — that's real too. Twenty-seven hours of travel with newborn twins is its own kind of adventure.
But you do it. Because they're yours. And no amount of paperwork or distance or bureaucracy changes that.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get a baby born via surrogacy in Kenya back to Canada?
You need the birth certificate, a DNA paternity test (opened before you leave Canada), and a visit to the Canadian Embassy in Nairobi to apply for passport and citizenship. The DNA results are emailed to the Consulate, and an express passport can be issued within 2-4 days.
How long does it take to exit Kenya with a baby born via surrogacy?
Approximately 1-2 weeks after birth, depending on DNA processing time and passport issuance. Joseph's daughters were released from hospital on Day 3 and he was able to exit within approximately 10 days.
Joseph Tito
Creator of The Dad Diaries. Gay dad of twins. Writing about fatherhood, surrogacy, and the beautiful mess of real life.