Official Documents

Report of Birth Abroad

A Consular Report of Birth for children born outside the United States can be prepared only at an American Consular Office overseas while the child is under the age of 18. Detailed information on applying for this document is available at this location.

If your child has claim to U.S. citizenship but is born in a foreign country, it is advisable that you apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, especially if you plan to apply for U.S. passport for the child. This Certificate is proof of your child’s U.S. citizenship.

December 20, 2010

The Department of State is pleased to announce the introduction of a redesigned Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA, or Form FS-240). The redesigned CRBA, which is an official record confirming that a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents acquired U.S. citizenship at birth and serves as proof of citizenship, has been updated with a variety of state-of-the-art security features to help prevent fraud and identity theft.

Beginning January 18, 2011, overseas posts will still document the citizenship of children born overseas to U.S.-citizen parents, but the CRBAs will be printed at our passport agencies in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New Orleans, Louisiana, using the information provided by overseas posts. By centralizing production and eliminating the distribution of controlled blank stock throughout the world, we will help ensure uniform quality and lessen the possibility of fraud. Additionally, the Department will no longer issue the DS-1350 Certification of Report of Birth Abroad. Instead, the Department will simply provide new FS-240s in response to requests for additional, replacement, or amended CRBAs.

In order to upgrade our systems for this change, U.S. Embassy Kolonia is suspending CRBA adjudication from January 1 through January 18, 2011. CRBA applications submitted during that time will be adjudicated after January 18.

U.S. Embassy Kolonia will continue to receive applications from January 1 through January 18, 2011. During this time period, the Embassy will hold any applications until processing can resume on January 18, 2011. Thank you for your patience and please feel free to contact the Embassy should you have any questions or concerns.

Report of Death Abroad

When an American dies abroad, a Consular Officer notifies the American’s family and informs them about options and costs for disposition of remains. Costs for preparing and returning a body to the U.S. may be high and must be paid by the family. The Consular section also handles the personal estates of deceased U.S. citizens. Detailed information on getting copies of Reports of Death can be found at this location.