How to Apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad

To apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, the U.S. citizen parent confirms they meet the physical presence requirement, gathers originals proving the child’s birth and the parent’s citizenship and time in the United States, schedules an in-person interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, pays the $100 fee, and signs Form DS-2029 under oath before a consular officer. The whole process must be completed before the child turns 18.¹² The resulting Form FS-240 carries the same legal weight as a domestic birth certificate.

Confirm the Citizen Parent Qualifies

Nothing else matters if the citizen parent falls short on physical presence. A CRBA documents citizenship the child already acquired at birth; it doesn’t confer it. So start here.

Both Parents Are U.S. Citizens

At least one parent must have lived in the United States at some point before the child’s birth. No minimum duration.³

One Citizen Parent, Married to a Non-Citizen

The citizen parent must have been physically present in the United States for at least five years before the child was born, with at least two of those years after age 14.³ Physical presence means actual time on U.S. soil. It is not the same as legal residency or having a U.S. address. The years don’t have to be consecutive, but the total must add up.

Some time abroad counts. Honorable U.S. military service, employment with the U.S. government or a qualifying international organization, and time abroad as the dependent child of someone in those roles all credit toward the requirement.³

Unmarried Parents

An unmarried U.S. citizen father must meet the same five-year presence rule (two years after age 14). He must also establish a blood relationship with the child by clear and convincing evidence, agree in writing to financially support the child until age 18, and see that the child is legally acknowledged or legitimated before age 18.⁴

For an unmarried U.S. citizen mother, the standard depends on when the child was born. For children born after June 12, 2017, the same five-year, two-after-14 rule applies, following the Supreme Court’s decision in Sessions v. Morales-Santana.⁵ For children born on or before that date, the older one-year continuous presence rule still applies.⁴

Documents to Bring

Bring originals or certified copies to the interview. Photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.

For the Child

The foreign birth certificate issued by the local civil registration authority, listing both parents. If it isn’t in English, include a certified translation.

For the Parents

Proof of the citizen parent’s U.S. citizenship: a valid U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, or U.S. birth certificate.¹ If the parents are married, bring the original marriage certificate. If either parent was previously married, bring proof that the earlier marriage ended (a divorce decree or death certificate). For unmarried fathers, bring a signed acknowledgment of paternity or a court order establishing parentage.⁴

Physical Presence Evidence

This is where most applications stall. You need documents that place the citizen parent on U.S. soil during specific periods: school transcripts, employment records, military discharge papers (DD-214), tax returns, and expired passports showing entry and exit stamps.¹ If the parent left the U.S. young and returned only for stretches like summers home from school, document each of those trips. The stronger the paper trail, the smoother the adjudication.

The Application Form

The application is Form DS-2029. Many posts now use an electronic version called the eCRBA, which you complete online and submit through the embassy’s portal before your interview. Whichever version you use, do not sign it in advance. The signature has to happen in front of the consular officer under oath.⁶

Fee

The CRBA application fee is $100, generally paid through the Pay.gov portal.² Payment methods vary by post: some accept only cards through Pay.gov, others take local payment. Bring your payment confirmation to the appointment. The fee is nonrefundable, even if the application is denied. If you plan to apply for the child’s first passport at the same visit, the passport carries its own separate fee.

Schedule and Attend the Interview

Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to book the mandatory in-person appointment. Many posts handle scheduling through an online portal that also lets you upload documents in advance. Wait times run from a few days to several weeks depending on the post.

Who Must Attend

The child, the citizen parent, and the non-citizen parent should all appear. The officer needs to verify the child’s identity and confirm the parent-child relationship in person.

If a parent cannot attend, the absent parent must submit a notarized Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) with a copy of the identification used at notarization. This matters especially for issuing a passport to a child under 16, which normally requires both parents’ consent.⁷ An unmarried citizen father who cannot attend must sign Form DS-5507 (Affidavit of Parentage and Financial Support) before a consular officer or designated official. It cannot simply be mailed in.

What Happens at the Interview

The officer reviews every original document, verifies the birth certificate, confirms the citizen parent’s identity, and evaluates whether the physical presence evidence meets the statutory minimum. The citizen parent then signs Form DS-2029 under oath. Expect follow-up questions if the timeline has gaps, and be ready to supply additional documentation.

When DNA Testing Is Required

If the parent-child relationship cannot be established through documents alone, the officer may require a DNA test. The lab must be accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), and the result must show at least 99.5% certainty of parentage.⁸ Results from unaccredited labs or third-party administrators are not accepted. This comes up most often with unmarried fathers or when the birth certificate does not list both parents.

After Approval

Once the officer approves the application, the embassy issues Form FS-240, the official Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Processing typically runs about three weeks after approval, and there is no expedited option. If the child was born in a country other than where you’re applying, the case is forwarded to the embassy in the country of birth for final issuance, which can push the timeline to several months.

Apply for the Passport at the Same Visit

You can, and generally should, apply for the child’s first U.S. passport at the same appointment using Form DS-11. This avoids a second visit.⁷ Fill out the DS-11 in advance but don’t sign it. Both parents normally need to be present for a child under 16, or the absent parent must provide a notarized DS-3053.

Social Security Number

You can also apply for the child’s Social Security number through the consulate using Form SS-5-FS. The consulate forwards it to the Social Security Administration, which processes the application and mails the card. Bring original documents; notarized copies not certified by the original record custodian are not accepted.⁹ Handling the SSN overseas spares you a Social Security office visit after you return.

The Age 18 Cutoff

The Department of State will only issue a CRBA to someone under 18. This deadline is firm. If the child turns 18 without a CRBA, the document is no longer available. The child may still qualify for U.S. citizenship through birth abroad, but the claim then has to be adjudicated through a U.S. passport application instead, and no CRBA will be issued even if the claim is approved.¹⁰ The passport itself becomes the proof of citizenship in that situation.

If Your FS-240 Is Later Lost or Damaged

Request a replacement from the Department of State’s Passport Vital Records Section by mailing a signed, notarized written request with a copy of valid photo identification and a $50 fee by check or money order payable to the U.S. Department of State, sent to the Passport Vital Records Section in Sterling, Virginia.¹¹ The FS-240 cannot be used for anything while a replacement is pending, so store the original with the same care as a passport.

1
U.S. Department of State. 7 FAM 1440 Consular Report of Birth of a Citizen/Non-Citizen National of the United States
2
eCFR. Title 22 Chapter I Subchapter C Part 22 – Schedule of Fees for Consular Services
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1401 – Nationals and Citizens of United States at Birth
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1409 – Children Born Out of Wedlock
5
Supreme Court of the United States. Sessions v. Morales-Santana, 582 U.S. 47 (2017)
6
U.S. Department of State. Form DS-2029 – Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad
7
U.S. Embassy and Consulate in the United Kingdom. Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and First U.S. Passport
8
Travel.State.gov. U.S. Citizenship – DNA Testing
9
Social Security Administration. Application for a Social Security Card – Form SS-5-FS
10
U.S. Embassy in Vietnam. eCRBA FAQ
11
U.S. Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual. 8 FAM 1001.6 – Replacing a Form FS-240