Embassy of the United States

Consular Report of Birth Abroad

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE: Effective September 1, 2011, it will be mandatory to use the new appointment system to request U.S. citizen’s services at the Consulate, such as applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad. To schedule an appointment click here.

Birth Abroad

WARNING: False statements made knowingly and willfully in passport applications, affidavits or other supporting documents are punishable by fine and/or imprisonment under the provisions of 18 USC 1001 and/or 18 USC 1542.

REPORTING THE BIRTH OF AN AMERICAN CHILD ABROAD

When Americans have a baby abroad, they should file a CONSULAR REPORT OF BIRTH ABROAD (CRBA) as soon as possible to register the child’s birth permanently with the U.S. Government and to obtain a U.S. Passport for the child.

NOTE: CRBAs, like passports, are no longer printed at post. Please read this announcement for more details.

WHICH CHILDREN ARE BORN AMERICAN?

Children born outside the U.S. or its outlying possessions are Americans by law when:

• Both parents are Americans and one parent has resided in the U.S. or its outlying possessions prior to the child’s birth.
• One parent is a citizen and the other an alien, if the citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. for a period of five years, two of which occurred after the age of 14, and the child was born after 02.07 E.S.T. on November 14, 1986; or ten years, five of which occurred after the age of 14, if the child was born before 02.07 E.S.T., November 14, 1986.
• The child was born to an unmarried American citizen mother who has lived in the United States for at least one continuous year prior to the child’s birth.
• If the child’s father is American, the mother is an alien and the parents are not married the child must be legitimized by the biological father before the child’s 18th birthday.  Documentation of this official and legal recognition must be provided, as well as an affidavit of paternity and a written agreement to provide financial support until the child’s 18th birthday.  DNA testing may also be required, and all costs incurred are borne by the applicant.  In such cases, we need all documents available in order to assist you.
• In all of these cases, the physical presence of the American parent(s) in the United States prior to the child’s birth MUST BE DOCUMENTED.
• If your child was born under the above circumstances, he or she may be eligible for registration. In certain cases when the U.S. citizen parent of a child born abroad does not satisfy the physical presence requirement to transmit citizenship, the child may benefit from the Child Citizenship Act of 2000.  This law expedites U.S. citizenship for non-citizen children of Americans when they come to the United States with immigrant visas.

HOW DO I FILE A REPORT OF BIRTH?

To file a Report of Birth, the child must have been born less than eighteen years from the reporting date and submit completed form DS-2029 available at: http://www.state.gov/m/a/dir/forms/ under American Citizen Services Forms.

• Come to the Embassy during American Citizen Services hours, Monday through Thursday 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM or Fridays, 7:30AM to 10:30AM.  No prior appointment is needed.

The day of the interview, the following documents should be provided in original:

• Parent’s ID (U.S. passports, Certificate of Naturalization if applicable, Paraguayan I.D. card)
• Original or certified copy of parents’ Marriage Certificate and original or certified proof of termination of any previous marriages by U.S Notary or Consular Officer.  If the marriage took place in Paraguay, the certificate should be legalized by the office of the Civil Registry (stamped on the back).
• Evidence of parents’ physical presence in the U.S. (transcripts, school or university records, employment or rent payments, etc.)
• Child’s copy of "Acta de Nacimiento" (Copy of "Acta de Nacimiento" issued and legalized by the Paraguayan Civil Registry)

This document MUST be legalized by the Civil Registry (stamped on the back).

• Documentation of any prenatal medical care that the mother received in Paraguay or elsewhere during pregnancy with names and addresses of physicians, clinics or hospitals where care was received. (i.e. sonogram)
• We strongly recommend that parents apply for a U.S. Passport for their child at the same time that they apply for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad. 
• We also strongly recommend that parents apply for a Social Security number once Consular Report of Birth Abroad is being issued.  If you choose to apply for a Social Security number please bring along a completed form SS-5, which can be accessed by clicking here, parent’s passports or valid ID showing signature, Paraguayan Birth Certificate and Consular Report of Birth Abroad. After photocopied the original documents will be return to applicant.

If applying for a U.S. Passport:

-Completed U.S. passport application DS-11
-2 photos of the child (5cm X 5 cm) (see requirements)
- Affidavit of Parentage (if applicable)
-Application for Social Security Number (to be completed by the parents in the Consular Section)

Once these documents are presented, a CONSULAR REPORT OF BIRTH ABROAD and a U.S. PASSPORT can be prepared.

DO WE HAVE TO BRING THE CHILD?
Yes, we must see the baby or child we register.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
The Consular Report of Birth costs $100.00 or the equivalent in guaranies.
The Passport costs $ 105.00 or the equivalent in guaranies.  
Please note that we can only accept U.S. dollar or Guarani cash currency.

WHAT IS A REPORT OF BIRTH?
The Consular Report of Birth (FS-240) is a light blue certificate resembling those issued in the United States which serves as evidence of the child’s U.S. citizenship. 
All applications are permanently filed by the Department of State. For a fee of $30.00, one replacement copy may be obtained by writing to:

U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Vital Records Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20522-1705
(Request for a FS-240 must include the original FS-240 or a notarized affidavit attesting to its disposition.)

WHAT ABOUT PARAGUAYAN CITIZENSHIP?
Virtually all children born in Paraguay are Paraguayan by law.  This also includes children who are born citizens of the U.S.  All birth must be recorded with the Paraguayan government.  Paraguay does not accept dual nationality (American / Paraguayan).  For more information please click on the following link:  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html

PROBLEM CASES?
ADOPTEES: Occasionally, American citizens try to register the birth of adopted babies with the Embassy and attempt to obtain citizenship for the child in this way. Babies of other parents born and adopted abroad by American citizens are not born Americans and do not qualified for American passports.  They must travel to the U.S. on immigrant visas.  It is illegal to attempt to obtain U.S. passports by fraud.

CHLDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK
If the mother is American and has lived in the U.S. for one year prior to the child’s birth, the child born out of wedlock is American.  If the father is American and not married to the mother, the situation is more complicated.  In such cases we need all documents available in order to be able to help you.

We will observe strict confidence in all cases.

Forms must be printed on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper. You must print the form with blue or black ink to be acceptable. If you live abroad, and cannot obtain 8.5 x 11 paper, the use of A4 size paper (8.25 x 11.7) is the only acceptable alternative.