Report a Birth Abroad

Photo Specifications

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad is a certificate that states that a child is a U.S. citizen from birth. Many, but not all children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent, are eligible to be documented as U.S. citizens through issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and U.S. passport.

If you were previously issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and wish to request a replacement copy, please click here.  

Appointment and Interview

Application for a Consular Report of Birth must be made, in person, through a pre-arranged appointment.  The child must accompany the parent to the Embassy. Appointments are available for American citizens Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. We are closed on the last Wednesday of every month and on American and Indian holidays.

Make an Appointment Here

We strongly encourage both parents to be present when filing an application for a child’s CRBA and first time passport.

Required Documents

Parents typically choose to apply for the child's U.S. passport at the same time they apply for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad. The list below covers both the Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and the U.S. passport. 

Please bring the following original items to the interview:

• Proof the parents' identity and citizenship such as U.S. or other passports.
• Child's original birth certificate issued by the local authorities (including English translation, if applicable). The birth certificate must include the name of the child.
• Two (2) photo studio quality photographs of the child, 2" x 2" in size and taken against a light background. The child must be facing forward with his/her ears showing and eyes open. More here.
• Prenatal and hospital records (e.g., ultrasounds, prescriptions, evidence of pre-natal doctor visits, hospital discharge documents, vaccination card, etc.).  Applicants using surrogacy or ART services should also read here.
• The parents' marriage certificate, or other proof of their relationship prior to the child’s conception. (This is not required if the mother of the child is a U.S. citizen.).
• Proof of the U.S. citizen parent's physical presence in the U.S. (This is not required if BOTH parents are U.S. citizens.)  For children born to one U.S. citizen and one foreign national, the U.S. citizen parent will need to show five years of CUMULATIVE physical presence in the U.S., two of which must be after the age of 14. Examples of items that show physical presence are school transcripts, income tax returns with Form W-2, Social Security earnings history, pay receipts, passport entry/exit stamps in current and previous passports, etc.
• If also applying for a passport (see below) and only one parent is present in India, the other parent must complete Parental Consent Form DS-3053. This form must be notarized and submitted with a notarized copy of the absent parent's photo ID (their passport is preferred).
• Complete and print the following forms online before coming to your appointment but Please Do Not Sign The Forms Until Directed To Do So By A Consular Officer.
  
  DS-2029, Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad (PDF 52KB)
  
  Form DS-2029 Continuation Sheet  (PDF 115KB)(Use this form only if necessary as a continuation sheet for Question number 12 on DS-2029--Precise Periods of Physical Presence in the United States. This form must be completed ONLY for the U.S. citizen parent. If BOTH parents are U.S. citizens, you may disregard this form.)
  
  Form SS-5-FS Application for a Social Security Card (PDF 55KB)
  
  Form DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport

Insufficient Evidence of Relationship

If the documents provided do not clearly establish the stated relationship, DNA testing may be recommended. It is likely that DNA testing will be recommended in cases using Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART), including surrogacy.

     More information

Fees

Complete fee information is available here. If applying in person, you may pay with cash dollars, cash rupees (at the current exchange rate), demand draft, or a major U.S. credit card. Personal checks are not accepted.

Indian Visa

Whether you plan to stay in India or travel outside India, your child will need an Indian visa. After receiving the passport for your child, you can apply for an Indian visa at the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in your area, where the visa will be placed in your child's new passport.  Make an appointment with FRRO here.

East Block-VIII, Level-II                                                                      Sector-1, R.K. Puram                                                                            (Behind Hyatt Regency Hotel)                                                               New Delhi-110066

Phone: 2671-1384/2671-1443                                                                    Hours: 9:30 am - 3:00 pm  

The process of getting an Indian visa generally takes up to three   business days. 

In surrogacy cases, getting the Indian visa can take up to 2 weeks!  Because this is a government of India process, the Embassy cannot say exactly how long it will take, or expedite the process. Your child cannot leave India without this visa.

Passport Processing Time

Except in emergencies, passports are printed in the United States and take approximately 7-10 days. Please consider this timeline when renewing or applying for passports. You will receive an automated email when your passport is ready.

CRBA/Passport Delivery or Pick Up

The U.S. Embassy is pleased to provide courier delivery services for CRBA and U.S. passport books and cards. This service will allow for timely tracking and fast delivery of your CRBAs and passport books and cards. Please carefully read the instructions below to arrive at your appointment prepared. 

1. At the Embassy, you will be asked to purchase a courier envelope from the First Flight agent in the lobby for INR 300. The fee may be paid by cash or demand draft in favor of "First Flight Couriers LTD". Drafts can be drawn on any nationalized or foreign bank operating in India. Drafts of co-operative banks are accepted at this time. Along with your payment, you will also be asked to submit a completed courier slip (PDF 6.5KB).
2. Once your CRBA or U.S. passport application is processed, the ACS Unit will return the sealed courier envelope containing your CRBA or U.S. passport to First Flight.
3. Once your CRBA or U.S. passport reach First Flight, you will be able to check the status of your delivery on First Flight’s website using your old passport number (to track new passport deliveries) or your child’s date of birth in DD/MM/YYY format (to track CRBA deliveries).
4. You will receive a cash receipt from First Flight with the return of your CRBA or U.S. passport.  If you provide a mobile number to First Flight, you will receive updates via SMS.   

If you opt to pick up your CRBA or passport in person, you may do so between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays. You do not need an appointment to pick up your CRBA or U.S. passport.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to get a Consular Report of Birth Abroad?  Both parents will need to come with the baby along with the following documents and completed forms: 

• DS-11 (passport application)
• DS-2029 (Consular Report of Birth Abroad certificate PDF 52KB)
• SS-5-FS (Social Security card application PDF 206KB)
• 2 passport photos that are 2” X 2” with a white background
• Both parents' photo ID
• Baby's locally registered birth certificate
• Prenatal records

Does my child really have to come in to see you?  Yes.  Your child, even a newborn, must appear in person at our offices at the time you make the application.  Military children will appear before the designated passport agent on base.  There are no exceptions or waivers possible for this requirement.

Is my child a Dual National?  No.  India does not recognize dual nationality.  The Indian government's Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Person of Indian Origin (POI) programs are often incorrectly described as offering "dual nationality" or "dual citizenship."  This is not true, as India does not recognize dual citizenship.  Follow this link to find out more about OCI and POI Status.  The Indian Government has more information on OCI at the website for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Does my newborn need an Indian visa?  Yes.

Can I just report the birth while in the U.S.?  If your child was born abroad you will need to complete the Report of Birth process abroad; it can't be done in the U.S.  If your child was born in India then the processing must be done in India.  While you can file the documents at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad, that office is required to send them to us in India for processing.  This will delay things, so it is best to complete this whole procedure while you are still in India.

How do I get additional copies of the Report of Birth?  Additional copies of the Report of Birth are available from the Department of State only; no records are kept at the Embassy in New Delhi.  You can get the details here on obtaining copies of your child's Report of Birth.

I was born abroad but I do not have Consular Report of Birth Abroad.   How can I obtain a copy?  If you were born abroad, your parents should have registered your birth at a U.S. Embassy or consulate and received a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Form FS-240.  This form is acceptable legal proof of birth and U.S. citizenship.  Records are kept at the Passport Correspondence Office in Washington, DC.

U.S. Department of State                                                                             Passport Correspondence Office   1111 19th St., N.W., Suite 510                   Washington, D.C. 20524        

I lost my original birth certificate, CRBA, marriage certificate, Report of Death or other U.S. record and need to obtain another one.  What do I do?  The Embassy keeps no files of the different documents we issue, such as a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), or documents dealing with the death of an American in India.  These records are instead filed in Washington, D.C.  We also do not keep any files of Indian civil documents, such as records of marriages and divorces in India.  These records are held by the Indian government.  Other records, such as birth certificates for people born in the United States, are stored in the state of origin. 

• Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) – Please go to the State Department's web page on consular records for complete details on obtaining a copy of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).
• Report of the Death of an American Citizen Abroad (ROD) – Please go to the State Department's web page on consular records for complete details on obtaining a copy of a Report of Death (ROD) of an American citizen.
• All Other Vital Records – Follow this link for an on-line source of more information about obtaining vital records in the U.S.

There are also on-line services that will help you obtain records for a fee.  One such service is 

VitalChek (800-255-2414), which allows you to request birth, death, and marriage certifications online, by phone, or by fax.  Another service called usbirthcertificate.net can help you obtain or amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, in addition to obtaining a birth certificate.  You must have a physical street address to use this service (no APO's, FPO's, or PO Boxes).

Questions?

acsnd@state.gov