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Report Birth Abroad

Reporting of Birth Abroad

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.

Beginning January 18, 2011, 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.

Applying For a Report of Birth and Passport for Your Child

The Embassy urges all parents applying for reports of birth and passports for their children to read the following information carefully.

Interviews are conducted by appointment only, on Wednesday mornings between 8:00– 11:00. 
Please Note:  Appointment times are fixed.  Applicants who arrive after their scheduled appointment time will not be admitted and will be asked to reschedule their appointment via email.  Please do not come to the Embassy unless all applications and documents are in order. You will not see a Consular Officer unless all required documents are complete. If the documents are not complete, you will be asked to schedule another appointment during our regular business hours.  If you do not think you will be prepared in time or if you must cancel your appointment for any other reason, please cancel your appointment by clicking here.

 Application Information

  • If you meet all of the qualifications shown below you are likely eligible to apply for Report of Birth Abroad for your child:
    Both parents were U.S. citizens PRIOR to the child’s birth.
  • At least one parent of the child was a U.S. citizen PRIOR to the child’s birth.
  • If only one parent is an U.S. citizen, that parent must have lived in the United States for 5 years 2 of which were after the age of 14 BEFORE the child was born (10 years with 5 years after the age of 14, if the child was born before 1986).

In all cases, both parents must appear in person with the child upon the submission of the application. If one parent is outside Lebanon and unable to appear, a signed written consent (Form DS-3053) notarized by a U.S. Notary Public or U.S. Consular officer must be provided by that parent in addition to a copy of his/her passport.
All documents submitted must be original documents with the English translation by a certified translator. Please provide two photocopies of each document, including U.S. passports. Note that there is a $1.00 per page fee for any copies made at the Embassy.

What You Need to Bring

All applicants must bring the following documents:
1. The child's official birth certificate issued by Lebanese authorities (civil registration department). Make sure the name on the birth certificate is exactly how you would like it to appear on the Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
2. Parents' official marriage certificate.
3. Official divorce decree if either parent was previously married.
4. If one parent is deceased, please provide an official death certificate.
5. Proof of identity for both parents (i.e. passport, Lebanese ID, U.S. driver’s license)
6. Proof of citizenship for U.S. citizen parent(s).  (Naturalization certificate, U.S. passport, original U.S. birth certificate, Certificate of Citizenship, Consular Report of Birth Abroad). 
7. Parents who have previously documented children born abroad should bring the other Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.
8. One matte finish (not glossy) photograph 2 inches square (5x5 cm), showing a full frontal view of the child's face with a light background. Please make sure that ears and eyebrows are visible.
9. Passport application Form DS-11
10. Consular Report of Birth Abroad application Form DS-2029 (PDF-52.3 kb)
11. Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence (165.2 kb)
12. Social Security Administration Application (233.8 kb)

**For consular forms, click here**

If only one parent of the child is an American citizen

In addition to the documents listed above, the American citizen parent must provide documentary evidence of at least five year’s physical presence in the U.S. prior to the child’s birth, two of which are after the age of 14 (10 years with 5 after the age of 14, if the child was born before 1986).

Please Note: This documentation must also be provided if only ONE parent was a citizen at the time the child was born, even if both parents are U.S. citizens at the time of application.

What constitutes U.S. physical presence: U.S. citizens may count any time they have been physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions prior to the child’s birth. Naturalized U.S. Citizens may count time spent in the U.S. prior to their naturalization, regardless of their status.

The following are examples of documents, which may be considered by the Consular Officer as primary evidence of physical presence in the United States:

  • Official school transcripts (secondary or higher)
  • Medical records
  • W-2 forms and tax returns
  • Social Security Earnings Record (SSA 7005)
  • Passports showing previous U.S. travel

Note:  All documents must be originals or certified copies.  The adjudicating officer may request that additional documentation be provided before approving the case.

Please note the following important information

Tax returns: Tax returns without W2s may not be accepted as proof of physical presence.
Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence: Please make sure that the Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence is completed fully. Do not simply list years in the U.S. (i.e. 1982-1990) without identifying periods of time outside the United States (i.e. summers in Lebanon). This is particularly important if the U.S. Citizen parent traveled back and forth between the U.S. and other foreign countries during the time claimed as physically present in the U.S.
The American Citizen parent must provide documentation to convince the Consular Officer reviewing the case that the American Citizen parent was physically present in the U.S for a minimum of five years (10 if the child was born before 1986) prior to the birth of the child.  Please do not confuse physical presence with having a residence.  In order for a U.S. citizen parent to fulfill transmission requirements for citizenship, the parent must have been physically present in the U.S. for the required period of time.  Merely owning property or businesses in the U.S., paying taxes, or holding a U.S. passport is not sufficient.  Ultimately, the burden of proof rests on the parent. The information above will assist in providing proof of physical presence but the Consular Officer will make the final determination.
If the American Citizen parent is unable to provide documentation to proof five years physical presence, two of which are after the age of 14, in the United States, he/she may apply for an Immigrant Visa for the child. The Consular Officer reviewing the case will provide you with information on applying for an Immigrant Visa if the officer determines that there is insufficient proof of physical presence.

Fees

Fees are paid upon submission of the application in either the whole amount in U.S. dollars or local Lebanese currency and are non-refundable. We do not accept checks or credit card.  Please bring the exact change.

Current fees for service are:

  • Registration of birth of American citizen abroad: $100
  • Execution of passport application: $25
  • U.S. passport issuance fee: $40
  • U.S. passport surcharge: $40
  • $1.00 per page fee for any copies made at the Embassy (If Applicable)

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