Consulate General of the United States Krakow Poland

Applying for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.

When a child is born overseas to an American citizen parent or parents, certain documentation is required in order for the child to be registered as an American citizen. This involves filing an application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). If only one parent is an American citizen at the time of the child's birth, current U.S. law requires that the parent must have been physically present in the United States for at least five years prior to the birth of the child. At least two of the five years must have been after the parent reached the age of fourteen.

To begin the process of obtaining a CRBA, the parents must first complete the Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad form below.

Click here for the Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad (form DS-2029) Online. (PDF 52.34kb) »

The following items are necessary for documenting a child as an American citizen:

• Original copy of the Polish birth certificate (the long version = Odpis Zupelny Aktu Urodzenia) 
• Original copy of the parents' marriage certificate 
• Proof of the termination of the parents' previous marriages (death or divorce certificates) 
• Parents' passports
• 1 photograph, 2 in x 2 in (5cm x 5 cm), with full-face shown and a light background 
• $100 USD or Polish zloty equivalent for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad 
• $105 USD or Polish zloty equivalent for a passport 
• If the child is born out of wedlock, Form DS-5507 (PDF 132.43 kb)
• You may choose to submit a Passport application for a child (form DS-11)

Proof of physical residence in the U.S.:

 It is the American citizen's obligation to demonstrate that they meet the physical presence requirement listed above. The documentation you provide is critical to proving your physical presence in the United States. Examples of appropriate documentation include:  high school or college transcripts, social security statements showing the years worked in the U.S., W-2 forms, and current/former passports with entry and exit stamps. In addition, American citizens can obtain a copy of their travel records by contacting U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the following address: 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW; Attn: Mint Annex Building, FOIA Division; Washington, DC20229.

While it is only required that one parent be an American citizen, both parents listed on the birth certificate and the child must be present for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad to be issued. Once this document has been prepared, you can apply for a passport for your child.

If you want to schedule an appointment or have questions about Reports of Birth, please contact American Citizen Services at Consulate General Krakow +48-12-424-5129 or KrakowACS@state.gov.