A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is official 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 strongly recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.
Do you qualify to pass on U.S. citizenship to your child?
Upon review of the information provided in the above link, if you believe that your child has a claim to U.S. citizenship, you should prepare the appropriate documentation and schedule an appointment for the child to appear in person at the nearest embassy or consulate to submit the application.
As a CRBA is not a travel document, it is strongly recommended that you submit an application for the child’s U.S. passport at the same time. Both applications may be submitted together at your scheduled appointment. Please note that you must apply for your child’s social security number at a U.S. Social Security Administration office which can be found at SSA’s website for Canada. General information on SSA services for people living outside the United States can be found at this website.
(Note: It is not necessary to obtain a CRBA. If it is more convenient, you may apply for a passport in lieu of a CRBA. In Canada, please consult the Apply for a Passport section of this website. In the United States, you may apply at any passport acceptance agency. Consult the State Department website to find the passport acceptance agency closest to you.)
The steps required to apply for a CRBA are as follows:
Steps to Apply for a CRBA
1. CRBA Forms
Parents will need to complete the following forms. After completion, the forms must be printed. We recommend that they are completed on a desktop computer, with a printer. DO NOT sign the forms.
Completed Application for Consular Report of Birth: Form DS-2029 (PDF – 105 KB).
Completed Application for a Passport: Form DS-11.
2. Required Supporting Documents
Please click here for a list of the required documents. Failure to present all the relevant documents will delay your application.
3. If Only One Parent Can Attend
We advise that both parents should be present at the appointment. However, we recognize that it may not be possible in all cases.
If one custodial parent is not able to attend, they must submit a notarized Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent. The form can be downloaded here (PDF – 42 KB).
At the time the DS-3053 form is presented, a copy of the same identity document used to notarize the form must also be provided.
Alternatively, the applying parent may furnish one of the following documents:
- Child’s birth certificate listing only applying parent
- Adoption decree (if applying parent is sole adopting parent)
- Court Order granting sole custody to the applying parent (i.e the absent parent has no access to the child). Child’s travel must not be restricted by that order.
- Judicial declaration of incompetence of non-applying parent, or death certificate of non-applying parent
If the parents were not married at the time of the child’s birth and the U.S. Citizen father is not able to attend the appointment, Form DS-5507 Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence and Support is required. The form can be downloaded here (PDF – 281 KB). The form must be completed, signed and notarized, and should be presented along with a copy of the same identity document used to notarize the form.
4. Scheduling the Appointment
Please do not schedule an appointment until you have reviewed the checklist for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and have completed the required application forms and obtained the relevant supporting documentation. Please note that you are required to schedule separate appointments for each child to be registered.
Once you have compiled the necessary documents, please schedule your appointment with the Consular section closest to you at the American Citizen Services scheduling system.
