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Birth of U.S. Citizens and Non-Citizen Nationals Abroad

If you are a U.S. citizen (or non-citizen national) and have a child overseas, you should report their birth at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as possible so that a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) can be issued as an official record of the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship or nationality.

CRBAs are issued to both U.S. citizens and non-citizen nationals. A CRBA documents that the child was a U.S. citizen at birth. The CRBA neither serves as proof of the identity of the child’s legal parents nor is it intended to serve as proof. In general, the name or names listed on the CRBA are the U.S. citizen or national’s parent(s) who have a genetic or gestational connection to the child. The name of the parent(s) through whom the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship is made must be listed on the CRBA. A parent who is not transmitting U.S. citizenship may be listed on the CBRA with consent of the parent who is transmitting U.S. citizenship.

  • You can apply for a CRBA by completing Form DS-2029. For instructions on how to apply for a CRBA, visit the webpage for the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where your child was born and navigate to the American Citizens Service section. Please note the application must be signed in front of a consular officer, notary public, or other person qualified to administer oaths.
  • If one parent is not a U.S. citizen or if the U.S. citizen parent who is transmitting citizenship to their child is not present when applying for a CRBA, that parent should complete Form DS-5507 as supporting evidence, and it can be used to list the periods of time they spent in the United States.
  • If the child was born out-of-wedlock, and the father is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S national, use Form DS-5507 to acknowledge the child and voluntarily agree to financially support them. Form DS-5507 may be signed in front of a notary or at a U.S. embassy or consulate. 

 

Learn more about the CRBA

  • The Department only issues CRBAs to children born abroad who acquired U.S. citizenship or nationality at birth and, in general, are under the age of 18 at the time of the application.
  • The U.S. embassy or consulate will provide one original copy of an eligible child’s CRBA.
  • You may replace, amend or request additional copies of a CRBA at any time.
  • Individuals who acquired U.S. nationality by virtue of their birth in one of the following current or former territories or outlying possessions of the United States during the relevant time periods below are not eligible for a CRBA because these individuals are not considered to have been born abroad. When applying for a U.S. passport, individuals born in these locations during the relevant times may establish acquisition of U.S. nationality, based upon the applicable agreement or statute, by producing their birth certificate issued from the local vital records office along with any other evidence required to establish acquisition. 
  • The locations and time periods include:
    •     Puerto Rico after April 10, 1899
    •     U.S. Virgin Islands after January 16, 1917
    •     American Samoa after February 15, 1900
    •     Guam after December 23, 1952
    •     Swains Island after March 3, 1925
    •     The Panama Canal Zone before October 1, 1979
    •     The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands after January 8, 1978 (8PM EST)
    •    The Philippines before July 4, 1946

Listing Jerusalem as your Place of Birth

Effective October 29, 2020, U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem will be able to request either "Jerusalem" or "Israel" as their place of birth when applying for U.S. passports, and either "Jerusalem" or "Jerusalem, Israel" when applying for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) and Consular Reports of Death Abroad (CRDAs).

Please note you do not need to reapply for a new U.S. passport, CRBA, or CRDA because your document will remain valid after this change in our policy. If you choose to renew or reapply for a consular document with the new place of birth designation, you must pay all applicable fees. 

U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem who do not specify their place of birth on applications for consular services as "Israel" will continue to be issued documents that indicate their place of birth as "Jerusalem." 

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Travel Tip

Check passport expiration dates carefully for all travelers! Children’s passports are issued for 5 years, adult passports for 10 years.

Consular Report of Birth Abroad Forms

DS-2029 - Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
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DS-5507 - Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence, and Support
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