Embassy of the United States Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Birth - Passport - Marriage

Birth Registration

Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) are available for U.S. citizens born outside of the United States.  In order to establish U.S. citizenship at birth, you will need an official record of the child’s foreign birth, evidence of the U.S. citizenship of the parent(s), and, if applicable, evidence of the parents’ marriage and affidavits of residence and physical presence in the U.S. You will also need to fill out the Consular Report of Birth Abroad request form. (PDF 52 KB)  The fee for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad is $100.00.

Additional Pages in Passport

The Embassy can add extra pages to your existing passport. The cost for the addition of extra pages is $82.00.  The process can normally be completed within one business day.  Please make an appointment on our website or call ahead to ensure that we have the staff on hand to handle your request expeditiously.

Passport Applications and Renewals

Passport printing are now centralized in the United States.  Thus, while U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou accepts applications for new passports and passport renewals, these applications will be transmitted electronically to Portsmouth, New Hampshire for production.  Completed passports are normally delivered to the Embassy from Portsmouth in less than two weeks, but can take longer.

In true emergency circumstances, limited-validity passorts can be produced locally.  However, because locally-produced passports lack many modern security features, they are typically only valid for return travel to the U.S.

Current passport fees are as follows: 

• Adult Passport Book Fee: $70.00
• Child (Under 16) Passport Book Fee: $40.00
• Passport Security Surcharge: $40.00
• Passport Execution Fee: $25.00  

Adult applicants who are renewing and are able to present their previous passport are not charged the execution Fee. Thus, in total:

• Adult passports (if not presenting a previous passport) cost $135.00
• Adult passport renewals (if presenting a previous passport) cost $110.00
• Child passports (under the age of 16) cost $105.00

In order to obtain a passport, the following items must be presented at the Embassy:

1. Proof of U.S. citizenship (i.e. a previous passport, birth certificate, naturalization papers, etc).
2. Two 2"x2" (5cmx5cm) photographs.
3. A passport application form completed in its entirety. You may find application forms here. 

•  Use form DS-82 for adult renewals (i.e. your previous passport was issued when you were at least 16 years old).
• Use form DS-11 for children's passports, adults unable to present a previous passport and applicants applying for their first passport as an adult (16 years or older). 

     4.  An original birth certificate for any passport applicant under age 16.

     5.  The corresponding fees.

Passport issuance to a minor under the age of 16 also requires the personal appearance of the child and both of the child's parents before the Consular Officer.  Any parent not accompanying his or her child will need to fill out the DS 3053 (Statement of Consent).  The Consular Officer can notarize this document free of charge for American citizens.

Marriage of American Citizens

American citizens who wish to get married in Burkina Faso will need to submit the following documents at the Mayor’s Office where they intend to marry: 

• A birth certificate
• A certificate of residence 
• A prenuptial medical certificate delivered by a doctor or a nurse
• A certificate of capacity to marry issued by the U.S. Embassy to the U.S. citizen.  This is a notarized document and thus costs $50.00.

Other fees include various stamps as well as the rental of the hall.  Fees range from 5,000 FCFA in small town hall offices to more that 200,000 CFA at the main town hall (Mairie Centrale).

A public announcement on the upcoming marriage is posted at the registrar’s office for a minimum period of 30 days before the marriage can be celebrated.

Find general information on marriage overseas in the Department of State travel site.

Certificate of Capacity  to Marry

As specified above, the Consular Section can issue to Americans who intend to get married in Burkina Faso, a document to present to the Mayor's office when requested.  The following documents need to be presented when applying for the certificate of capacity to marry:

• Passport of the american 
• Passport or ID of the non-american
• The corresponding fee for a notarial - $50.00  
• Your appointment confirmation page.