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Birth Abroad
 

Important Announcement Regarding Consular Report of Birth Services

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.

Overseas posts will still document the citizenship of children born overseas to U.S.-citizen parents, but the CRBAs will be printed at our passport agencies in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and New Orleans, Louisiana, using the information provided by overseas posts.  By centralizing production and eliminating the distribution of controlled blank stock throughout the world, we will help ensure uniform quality and lessen the possibility of fraud.

Additionally, the Department will no longer issue the DS-1350 Certification of Report of Birth Abroad. Instead, the Department will simply provide new FS-240s in response to requests for additional, replacement, or amended CRBAs.

In order to upgrade our systems for this change, all Embassies and Consulates worldwide are suspending CRBA adjudication until further directed by Consular management in Washington, DC.  CRBA applications submitted during this period will be adjudicated as soon as possible.

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and first US passport

A Consular Report of Birth (CRBA) is evidence of United States citizenship, and is issued to a child born abroad to a US citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

CRBA applications must be made before the child's 18th birthday, and we recommend that parents apply for the CRBA and US passport as soon as possible after the child's birth. For applicants older than age 18 who have never been issued a CRBA, please refer to Possible Derivative Claim to US Citizenship.

Eligibility for a CRBA & American passport:

In order to determine whether or not the US citizen parent(s) is/are able to transmit citizenship, please refer to the transmission requirements.

If you believe you meet the transmission requirements, please make an appointment via our website, and be prepared to submit the following in person:

  • The applicant (child) must appear and at least one parent should also appear, preferably the US citizen parent;
  • Completed (but not signed) CRBA application (Form DS-2029(PDF_56KB))- all questions must be answered;
  • Completed Affidavit of Residence and Paternity/Maternity (PDF_596KB)).
  • Completed (but not signed) Application for a US passport (Form DS-11 (PDF_1MB)).
  • If both parents are not present at the interview, the absent parent must complete and have a Passport Issuance Consent Form (Form DS-3053 (PDF_157KB)) notarized for each child.
  • Child's original birth certificate, plus translation;
  • Parents' registered marriage certificate, plus translation;
  • Evidence of termination of any previous marriages (if applicable), plus translation;
  • American citizen parent(s)' evidence of US citizenship (US passport or naturalization certificate);
  • Valid, government-issued photo identification of non-American citizen parent, plus translation
  • American citizen parent's documentary evidence of physical presence in the United States prior to the child's birth;
  • Applicable Fee (All fees are subject to change without notice).

If the US 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.

*SPECIAL NOTICE: You are required to bring photocopies of all documents submitted (excluding the application forms); if you do not bring photocopies, you may be charged a photocopying fee of USD$1 per page according to the consular fee schedule*

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