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Report of Birth Abroad
 
1/20/2011

Report of Birth Abroad(CRBA):

Note: An appointment made by phone (679-331-4466) or email (consularsuva@state.gov) is needed for applicants wishing to submit a Consular Report of Birth Abroad application in person at the Embassy.

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.

You will need to complete an "Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad", form DS-2029. 

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.

The Department of State has completed worldwide system upgrades required for the issuance of Consular Report of Birth Abroad(CRBA) certificates.  You must submit an application for a CRBA certificate at the U.S. Embassy, Suva via an appointment.  Please note that owing to the backlog of applications, applicants may not receive their child's CRBA for up to 4 weeks.

If you have travel plans, you may still submit your child's application for CRBA and a U.S. passport.  The passport will usually be issued within two weeks and the CRBA certificate will follow once we are able to issue the certificates again.

A Consular Report of Birth can only be prepared at the U.S. Embassy. It cannot be prepared if the child has been taken back into the United States, or, if the person is 21 years of age or older at the time the application is made.

To register the birth of a U.S. child in a foreign country, please call American Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy in Suva- Phone (679) 331-4466 ext: 8141/8142/8121 OR by email to consularsuva@state.gov. 

Both parents must appear in person with your child at the U.S. Embassy, Suva (appointment needed), to sign the application form.  You will need original copies of the following documents to report the birth:

  • Completed (but not signed) application form: DS-2029;
  • Child's original Birth Certificate;
  • Parents' registered marriage certificate (if applicable);
  • Both parents' passports and U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (if applicable);
  • Completed (but not signed) Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Prsence 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;
  • 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 FS240, Consular Report of Birth Abroad;
  • school and university transcripts, tax records;
  • Employers' References;
  • Military Records;
  • Fee of USD100.00 payable to the U.S. Embassy, Suva via cash or bank check. No personal check or credit card payment is accepted. Please contact the ACS Unit at the U.S. Embassy for its Fiji Dollar equivalent should you wish to pay for the fee via the same.
  • Additional documentation if required by the Consular Officer.

Parents are encouraged to apply for their child's Social Security Number and 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.