U.S. Citizen Services
Report Birth Abroad
The birth of a child abroad to U.S. citizen parent(s) should be reported as soon as possible to the nearest American consular office for the purpose of establishing an official record of the child's claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record is in the form of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America. This document, referred to as the Consular Report of Birth (CRBA) or FS-240, is considered a basic United States citizenship document. An original FS-240 is furnished to the parent(s) at the time the registration is approved. A Consular Report of Birth can be prepared only at an American consular office overseas while the child is under the age of 18.
The application for a CRBA requires the following:
- An official record of the child's foreign birth (i.e., birth certificate);
- Evidence of the parent(s)' U.S. citizenship (e.g., current U.S. passport);
- Evidence of the parents' marriage, if applicable;
- Affidavits of parent(s)' residence and physical presence in the United States;
- Identity documentation for a non-citizen parent;
- Completed Application for Consular Birth Abroad (DS-2029) ;
- Completed Application for Social Security Card; and
Fees.
Please do not sign any of the documents until requested to do so by the Consular Officer.
Both parents are requested to appear at the Embassy, together with their child and the above documents. The Embassy will provide blank affidavits in the proper format.
In certain cases it may be necessary to submit additional documents, including affidavits of paternity and support, divorce decrees from prior marriages, evidence of prior U.S. residence and/or physical presence, or DNA tests. All evidentiary documents should be certified as true copies of the originals by the registrar of the office where each document was issued.
Parents are encouraged to apply for a U.S. passport for their newborn child at the same time that they apply for a CRBA. Please see our information on Passports for Minors.
For more detailed information on CRBAs and replacement copies of these documents, please see the Department of State's webpage on Documentation of U.S. Citizens Born Abroad.