Report a Birth Abroad

One (1) recent, 2"x2" (5 cm x 5 cm) color photograph taken against a white background.

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. 

Please click here for replacement copy of Consular Report of Birth Abroad . 

Appointment and Interview

Appointments are required to file a Consular Report of a Birth Abroad.

•    Please make an Appointment

Both parents and the child must appear at the Consulate in person on the date of the appointment with all of the required documents.

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.
• One (1) recent, 2"x2" (5 cm x 5 cm) color photograph taken against a white background.

• Prenatal and hospital records (e.g., ultrasounds, prescriptions, evidence of pre-natal doctor visits, hospital discharge documents, vaccination card, etc.)  
• 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 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.

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 52.7 KB)

• Form SS-5-FS Application for a Social Security Card (PDF 57 KB)
  

• Form DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport

Fees

Please check the complete fee information. 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 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi.  The Consulate will provide you with a letter of introduction to present to the MHA.  Authorities at MHA will give you a sealed envelope that you can take to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in your area.  The visa will be placed in your child’s new passport. 

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

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.

Passport Delivery or Pick Up

Once you receive the email stating your passport is ready, you may collect it from our office any day we are open from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. To permit another person to collect your passport, please provide them a signed letter of authorization and your fee receipt. They will need to bring photo identification. You do not need an appointment to pick up your passport.

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

1.     At the Consulate, you will be asked to purchase a courier envelope from the First Flight Courier for a fees of 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 not accepted at this time. Along with your payment, you will also be asked to submit a completed courier slip (PDF 6.5KB). Note: If not serviceable the consignment will be returned back to the consulate.

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.

4.     You will receive a receipt from First Flight with the return of your CRBA or U.S. passport.

If you opt to pick up your CRBA or passport in person, you may do so between 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding the last Wednesday of the month and American and Indian holidays. You do not need an appointment to pick up your CRBA or U.S. passport.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If you are submitting your passport renewal application by mail and would like to have your new passport couriered to you,
please submit a courier slip (PDF 6.5KB) and an additional bank draft for INR 300 payable to "First Flight Couriers LTD".  Bank drafts for
courier fees can be drawn on any nationalized or foreign bank operating in India. Drafts of co-operative banks are not accepted at this time

Insufficient Evidence of Relationship

If the documentation provided does not clearly establish the stated relationship, DNA testing may be recommended.

In cases involving Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), clear evidence of the child’s genetic relationship to the transmitting U.S. citizen parent is required in addition to the other transmission requirements noted above.  We recommend that all medical procedures and agreements be carefully documented in order to establish the facts regarding the genetic parentage of the child. Consular Officers must consider all pertinent documents related to the CRBA application. It is highly likely that DNA will be recommended in these cases. Please review the DNA testing procedures on our website for more information on the procedures.  DNA kits take approximately two weeks to arrive at post, and it takes at least another two weeks after the testing to receive the results.  If you feel that DNA may be required in your case, you may order DNA kits in advance of your appointment. DNA testing information is available here.