Applying For a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)

If you are a U.S. citizen and the parent of a child born out of the United States, you will need to document your child’s U.S. citizenship with a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. This document is used in the United States like a certified copy of a birth certificate, and it is acceptable evidence of citizenship for obtaining a passport and entering school. Although the application forms and final documents are the same everywhere, our embassies and consulates have different procedures to get them. At U.S. Embassy Sarajevo, CRBA applications are seen by appointment only. 

No matter where you apply, some things are the same in every country outside the United States. Here is what’s standard everywhere:

Application Forms

You will use the same application form -(the DS-2029)- no matter where you apply for the "Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)". Link to the DS-2029 (PDF 52.3 kB) form. 

Supporting Documents

You will need all of the following:

1. The child’s foreign birth certificate. Please provide the international form.
2. Proof of citizenship of the U.S. citizen parent(s). Your current passport is the preferred form of proof. Your U.S. birth certificate or naturalization certificate is also acceptable.
3. Proof of the relationship between the U.S. citizen parent(s) and the child. Your child’s birth certificate with both parents’ names on it is the best form of proof. 
4. If you are married, we need to see proof. If you have prior marriages, we need to see proof of how those marriages ended.
5. A statement from either U.S. citizen parent and evidence that she/he lived in the U.S. long enough to transmit citizenship to her/his child. The statement you give is called an Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence, and Support.

Here is a link to the DS-5507 (PDF 165.0 kB) form.

Please note that the Consul may ask you for additional documentation at the time of application.

How long is long enough? That will depend on whether the parents are married, and whether one or both is a U.S. citizen. Learn more about transmitting citizenship on Travel.State.Gov site. 

How you prove you were physically present will depend a lot on your situation. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Examples of documentary evidence include: W-2s, pay slips, school transcripts, employment records, military service records, bank statements showing transactions in the U.S.,  and social security statement of earnings. The more you can provide, the easier it will be for the consular officer to approve the CRBA.

Fees

We charge fees for this service. The current fee is $100. The U.S. Embassy Sarajevo accepts U.S. dollars, Bosnian KM, and U.S. credit cards.

You may want to apply for a U.S. passport for your child when you come into the Embassy; the instructions are attached. The fee to process a U.S. passport application for a child is $105.00 USD.  One color photograph (2”x2”) is required.