Birth Abroad

Baby's CRBA and First Passport

Congratulations on your child's birth!

Your new baby needs a first passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad-CRBA(similar to a birth certificate), and a Social Security number. On this page we'll tell you what you need to do to get all three items.  You must submit an application for CRBA certificate at the U.S. Embassy, Suva via an appointment. 

It is important to start this process as soon as possible after your child is born. In the case of urgent, unexpected travel, your child will need a passport.

As U.S. citizen parent(s), you should report your child's birth abroad as soon as possible to the U.S. Embassy to establish an official record of the child's claim to U.S. citizenship at birth.  Children born within our Consular District:- Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu, Nauru, Kiribati and the French Territories of French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis & Futuna should apply for CRBA at the U.S. Embassy, Suva, Fiji. 

Once we have everything we need, processing time is normally about two to three weeks, as all CRBA and Passport printing must now be done in the U.S. However, please don't make any unchangeable travel plans until you have the new passport in hand. We'll mail the completed passport and Report of Birth to you at your provided return address.

Your child's Social Security card will be sent to you directly by the Social Security Head Office. Please allow three to six months for the card to arrive.

What do you need?

All birth, adoption, marriage, death or divorce certificates must bear the original seal, stamp or signature of the Official Custodian of the document.  Notarized copies, church records and uncertified photocopies are not official documents and may be invalid as primary evidence.  All documents must be originals.  We will return the original documents to you as soon as processing is complete.  All documents not in English must be translated; you may do the translation yourself.

• Application for a Passport, Following the Regulations for Minors Under 16
• Completed (but not signed) DS-2029(PDF);
• Social Security Number Application (SS-5): Please download and complete form SS-5. Don't send it to Social Security; instead, submit the completed form to the Embassy along with the other forms and documents needed for your child's report of birth and first U.S. passport.
• Personal Appearance of both parents/child:-
  Your child, even a newborn, must appear in person at our offices at the time you make the application. There are no exceptions or waivers possible for this requirement.
• Parents' registered marriage certificate (if applicable);
• Both parents' passports and U.S. Certificate of Naturalization/Citizenship (if applicable);
• Completed (but not signed) Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence and Support;
• Evidence of the termination of any prior marriage of either parent (divorce documents or death certificates);
• American Citizen Parent's documentary evidence of physical presence in the United States prior to the child's birth;
• The fees are USD100 for the Consular Report of Birth, USD105 for the passport, for a total of USD205. We accept only cash, US or Fijian Dollars or certified bank check in USD. We cannot accept personal checks or credit cards;
• If only one parent is an American citizen, evidence that the U.S. citizen parent has met the physical presence requirement to transmit citizenship, prior to the birth of the child:
  • For children born before November 14, 1986 the U.S. citizen parent must have been physically present in the U.S. for ten (10) years, five (5) of which were after the age of fourteen (14);
  • For children born after November 14, 1986, the U.S. citizen parent must have been physically present in the U.S. for five (5) years, two (2) of which were after the age of fourteen (14);

Documents that may serve as evidence of physical presence in the U.S. include:

•  
  • an older child's FS-240, Consular Report of Birth Abroad;
  • school and university transcripts, tax records;
  • employer's reference;
  • military records;
  • additional documentation if required by the Consular Officer.

Parents are encouraged to apply for their child's Social Security Number and the first U.S. passport at the same time as applying for their CRBA.  Once you have completed all appropriate application forms and gathered all required supporting documentation, make an appointment to submit the application.

If the U.S. citizen parent does not meet the transmission requirements and the child is under 18 years of age, the child may be eligible for expeditious naturalization under the Child Citizenship Act 2000.

Additional information about United States citizens born abroad who acquire U.S. citizenship at birth.