Report Birth Abroad

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)

A Consular Report of Birth (CRBA) is evidence of United States citizenship, issued to a child born abroad to a U.S. 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 the parents apply for the CRBA 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 U.S. Citizenship. Anyone who has a claim to U.S. citizenship must be in possession of a valid U.S passport to enter and exit the United States, even if they have citizenship of another country, as well.

If the U.S. 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.

You may be asked to provide additional documentation at the time of your interview. By regulation you will have 90 days to submit the requested documentation or the case will be closed for insufficient evidence to establish U.S. citizenship of the applicant. All fees are non-refundable.

Generally, immediate family members may accompany passport or CRBA applicants to
their appointment interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and all minor children must
be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Passport or CRBA applicants also have the
option of being accompanied by an attorney at their appointment interview. Attendance
by any third party, including an attorney, accompanying an applicant is subject to the
following parameters designed to ensure an orderly appointment interview process and
to maintain the integrity of the adjudication of the application(s):

  • Given space limitations in the consular section, not more than one attendee at a
    time will be allowed to accompany an applicant (or the applicant’s parent or
    guardian if the applicant is a minor).
  • Attendance by an attorney does not excuse the applicant and/or the minor
    applicant’s parent or guardian from attending the appointment interview in
    person.
  • The manner in which a passport or CRBA appointment interview is conducted,
    and the scope and nature of the inquiry, shall at all times be at the discretion of
    the consular officer, following applicable Departmental guidance.
  • It is expected that attorneys will provide their clients with relevant legal advice
    prior to, rather than at, the appointment interview, and will advise their clients
    prior to the appointment interview that the client will participate in the
    appointment interview with minimal assistance.
  • Attorneys may not engage in any form of legal argumentation during the
    appointment interview and before the consular officer.
  • Attendees other than a parent or guardian accompanying a minor child may not
    answer a consular officer’s question on behalf or in lieu of an applicant, nor may
    they summarize, correct, or attempt to clarify an applicant’s response, or
    interrupt or interfere with an applicant’s responses to a consular officer’s
    questions.
  • To the extent that an applicant does not understand a question, s/he should seek
    clarification from the consular officer directly.
  • The consular officer has sole discretion to determine the appropriate language(s)
    for communication with the applicant, based on the facility of both officer and
    applicant and the manner and form that best facilitate communication between
    the consular officer and the applicant. Attendees may not demand that
    communications take place in a particular language solely for the benefit of the
    attendee. Nor may attendees object to or insist on the participation of an
    interpreter in the appointment interview, to the qualifications of any interpreter,
    or to the manner or substance of any translation.
  • No attendee may coach or instruct applicants as to how to answer a consular
    officer’s question.
  • Attendees may not object to a consular officer’s question on any ground
    (including that the attendee regards the question to be inappropriate, irrelevant, or
    adversarial), or instruct the applicant not to answer a consular officer’s question.
    Attendees may not interfere in any manner with the consular officer’s ability to
    conduct all inquiries and fact-finding necessary to exercise his or her
    responsibilities to adjudicate the application.
  • During a passport or CRBA appointment interview, attendees may not discuss or
    inquire about other applications.
  • Attendees may take written notes, but may not otherwise record the appointment
    interviews.
  • Attendees may not engage in any other conduct that materially disrupts the
    appointment interview. For example, they may not yell at or otherwise attempt
    to intimidate or abuse a consular officer or staff, and they may not engage in any
    conduct that threatens U.S. national security or the security of the embassy or its
    personnel. Attendees must follow all security policies of the Department of State
    and the U.S. embassy or consulate where the appointment interview takes place.
    Attendees may not engage in any conduct that violates this policy and/or otherwise
    materially disrupts the appointment interview. Failure to observe these parameters will
    result in a warning to the attendee and, if ignored, the attendee may be asked to leave the
    appointment interview and/or the premises, as appropriate. It would then be the
    applicant’s choice whether to continue the appointment interview without the attendee
    present, subject to the consular officer’s discretion to terminate the appointment
    interview. The safety and privacy of all applicants awaiting consular services, as well as
    of consular and embassy personnel, is of paramount consideration.

Your child is entitled to U.S. citizenship if s/he has:

  • Two U.S. citizen parents, who were married to each other at the time of birth, if one of the parents lived in the U.S. prior to the birth.
  • One U.S. citizen and one alien parent who were married to each other at the time of birth, if the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. for a minimum of five years before the birth, two years after age 14.
  • Special rules apply if only the father is a U.S. citizen and the parents married within six months of the birth (see below).

The following documents are required:

  • Evidence of your child’s birth
  • Evidence of U.S. citizenship of the parent(s)
  • Evidence of parents’ marriage, if they are married
  • Evidence of legal termination of previous marriages, if applicable
  • Form DS-2029 (PDF 352 KB), Application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad
  • Form DS-11, (PDF 88 KB) Application for a U.S. Passport
  • Form SS-5 (PDF 233 KB) – FS, Application for a Social Security Card
  • Photos of your child (2”x2” – white background) Check the requirements for photograph.
  • Fees: $235.00 ( you can pay in cash in U.S. dollars or equivalent tugrugs. Please check the requirements on U.S. banknotes (PDF 34 KB) or with a U.S. bank issued credit card). Please pay when you come to submit applications.
  • Evidence of the transmitting parent’s physical presence in the U.S. for five years if only one parent is a U.S. citizen.
  • Confirmation of paternity if the father is the only U.S. citizen and the parents are not married.
  • Additional evidence if requested.
  • 1 copy of all original documents

Note: All documents in languages other than English should be translated into English.

Each of these requirements are explained in more details below.

Evidence of birth:

This can be an original birth certificate. Although the hospital birth certificate is not proof of citizenship, it is still an important document. You should obtain several copies and keep them in a safe place.

Evidence of U.S. citizenship of the parent(s):

This can be one of the following:

  • Passport
  • Birth Certificate
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States
  • Certificate of Naturalization
  • Certificate of Citizenship

Evidence of citizenship documents must be either an original or a copy certified by the issuing agency. A photocopy or a “true copy” cannot be accepted.

Evidence of parents’ marriage, if they are married: 

This must be an original or certified copy of the marriage certificate issued by a city, state, or foreign country.

Evidence of legal termination of previous marriages:  

You must submit original divorce or annulment decrees or death certificates.  Certified copies are also acceptable. An English translation must be included (the translation can be informal).

Follow this link for information on obtaining vital records, such as birth, death and marriage certificates.

Application Fee:

The fees are $135.00 for the passport and $100.00 for the Consular Report of Birth, for a total of $235.00.  We accept cash in USD or equivalent Mongolian Tugrugs and U.S. Bank issued credit cards. Please check the requirements on U.S. banknotes here (PDF 34 KB). We cannot accept personal checks. The application fee can be paid when you come in for an interview.

Come to the Embassy – both parents and child:

You must bring your child to the U.S. Embassy in order to complete the passport application. The applications must be signed by both parents before a U.S. consular officer. Only the child’s parents or legal guardian may apply on the child’s behalf.

But if you apply only for the Report of Birth, only an American Citizen parent needs to be present at the time of application.

The State Department requires the consent of both parents for the issuance of passports to U.S. citizens age 16 and younger.  If only one parent can sign the application(s) before a consular officer, please carefully review the information on this web site before you apply for a passport for your baby.  There are several special requirements.

Confirmation of physical presence in the U.S. of the U.S. citizen parent, if the other parent is not a U.S. citizen:

If only one parent is a U.S. citizen and the other is not, the U.S. citizen parent must provide evidence of his or her actual presence in the U.S. for five years (two of them after the age of 14) before the birth.

Evidence can include:

  • U.S. school records and/or university transcripts (not diplomas)
  • Letter from U.S. employer(s) stating work period dates and location(s) of employment in the U.S. and W-2s or tax returns.
  • Passports with U.S. and foreign entry stamps.
  • Government or military service records.
  • Evidence of having been the unmarried dependent of a U.S. government employee stationed abroad.

You may also submit secondary evidence, such as utility bills; rental or lease agreements for a U.S. residence; business or home ownership documentation; or payroll records.
If the parents are not married and the mother is a U.S. citizen, she must present evidence of one year’s continual physical presence in the U.S.

Confirmation of paternity if the father is the only U.S. citizen and the parents are not married:

If the child’s American father is not married to the alien mother, or if he married the mother after the child’s birth, or if he married the mother within the months prior to the child’s birth, both parents must submit sworn statements acknowledging that they are the natural parents of the child.  These statements must be signed in person by the parents before a consular officer or a designated military official.

If the child’s American father is not married to the alien mother, or if he married the mother after the child’s birth, or if he married the mother within six months prior to the child’s birth, the U.S. citizen father also must supply the following:

  • U.S. passport showing entry and exit stamps, employment records, or other evidence of his presence in the same country as the mother at the time of conception.
    Additionally, if the biological parents had been married for less than six months at the time of the child’s birth: the U.S. citizen father must sign a sworn affidavit of paternity (the form is available at the Embassy. The affidavit must be signed in person by the father before a consular officer.
  • If the child was born out of wedlock:  a sworn affidavit from the U.S. citizen father agreeing to provide financial support until the child reaches the age of 18. (The form is available at the Embassy.  The father must sign the affidavit before a consular officer or a designated military official.  This is not required if the parents married each other after the child’s birth or if the child has been legitimated under the laws of the father’s place of legal residence in the U.S.

Children Age 16 and Younger: A person applying for a U.S. passport for a child age 16 and younger must demonstrate that both parents consent to the issuance of a passport to the child or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport.  Please review the information on the web site before you apply for a passport for a child age 16 and younger.

A parent or legal guardian must complete the SS-5-FS Application for a Social Security Card. His/her Social Security number is assigned by the regional Social Security office in Manila.  The Social Security card will be mailed directly to you, though processing takes several months.  If you have not received your child’s Social Security number and need to file U.S. federal income taxes, please contact the IRS directly for advice on how best to proceed.

The Embassy cannot provide replacement or extra copies of the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240).  Additional copies are available only by mail by writing to:

Department of State
Passport Vital Records Section
1150 Passport Services PL
6th Floor
Dulles, VA 20189-1150

Detailed information: Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).

Your request must include complete identifying information:

Full name of the child, date and place of birth, names of the parents, the consular office abroad that recorded the birth, and the serial number of the Consular Report of Birth, if known.
If the Consular Report of Birth has been lost, stolen or mutilated, the request must include an affidavit setting forth the circumstances on how this occurred.

The charge is $50.00 per copy.