CONSULAR REPORT OF BIRTH ABROAD

The following information summarizes key provisions of U.S. law regarding the transmission of citizenship by a U.S. citizen parent or parents to their children born in wedlock outside the United States. (Please note that separate transmission requirements apply for children born outside of wedlock. Contact the U.S. Embassy/Consulate for further information if this is the case.)

If both parents were U.S. citizens when your child was born, he/she may have acquired U.S. citizenship at birth, if at least one parent resided in the USA prior to the child’s birth.

If your child was born on or after 11/14/86, and only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child’s birth, the child may have acquired U.S. citizenship at birth if the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the USA for periods totaling five years prior to the child’s birth, at least two of which where after their 14th birthday.

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is an official record of U.S. citizenship issued to a person under age 18 who was born abroad to United States citizen parent(s) and acquired citizenship at birth. Schools, the Social Security Agency, and other institutions throughout the United States accept it and give it the same credence they give to birth certificates issued by state authorities in the United States.

Only the child’s biological parent or legal guardian, preferably the U.S. citizen parent, can apply for a CRBA.  Either parent, including a non-U.S. citizen parent, may execute and sign this application.  If it will be signed and executed by a legal guardian, a special power of attorney from the parent(s) or guardianship affidavit must be submitted.  The application must be made before the child’s 18th birthday and the child must make a personal appearance at the U.S. Embassy. We encourage parents to document their child(ren)’s citizenship as soon as possible after the birth(s). Delays in reporting of the birth of your child could cause inconvenience and possibly deprive your child of this valuable document because persons age 18 and over are not eligible for a CRBA. Information for persons over the age of 18 who are attempting to acquire citizenship through their U.S. citizen parent(s) as adults can be found here.

NOTE: Adopted children do not acquire citizenship automatically upon adoption.  However, they may be eligible for citizenship through naturalization pursuant to a lawful admission into the US as a permanent resident.  See our Adoption information or the Department of State’s Child Citizenship Act of 2000 page for more information.

If a child was adopted by an American citizen(s), or if the U.S. citizen parent has not met the physical presence requirement, then the child cannot be issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Please refer to the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 for further information on how to document your child as an American Citizen.