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Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad
As a U.S. citizen, you can request a replacement or amended Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for yourself or your child born abroad.
A CRBA, also known as Form FS-240, is a record that shows you or your child got U.S. citizenship at birth. You can only get an original CRBA by reporting you or your child’s birth to the local U.S. embassy or consulate. Then the embassy or consulate will issue you a CRBA.
We do not issue CRBAs to naturalized U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents.
You can only replace or amend a CRBA if you are:
- The individual listed on the birth record, if age 18 or older
- A parent of a child under age 18
- An authorized government agency
- A person with written authorization from the individual listed on the birth record
Steps to request a copy
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Fill out Form DS-5542
- Fill out Form DS-5542 on your computer or complete it by hand in black ink.
- Sign the form in front of a notary public to avoid delays.
Amending the form
- Provide original or certified documents that show the change you are requesting. We do not accept photocopies.
- Submit the original CRBA. If the document was issued before 1990, you must also submit an original Certificate of Birth Abroad or Form FS-545. If you cannot submit these documents, submit a notarized statement explaining the reason. Reasons include the document was lost, stolen, or destroyed.
Shipping your record
We will send your vital record to you. If you live in the United States, you can select First Class Mail or 1-3 day delivery:
- USPS First Class Mail: Takes 1-2 weeks. No extra charge.
- 1-3 day delivery service: Add $26.87 to the check or money order.
Do not include a pre-paid express mail envelope with your request. This will cause a delay in delivery.
If you live outside the United States, we will send your vital record to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The embassy or consulate will coordinate with you to pick up or deliver your record.
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Get a copy of your photo ID
Get a photocopy of the front and back of your valid photo ID. Examples include:
- state-issued driver’s license
- non-driver photo ID
- military ID
- passport
- prison or inmate ID
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Provide a check or money order
- The cost is $50 for each record you request.
- If you opt for 1-3 Day Delivery, add $26.87 to the check or money order.
- Make it payable to the "U.S. Department of State."
- Include a complete return mailing address on the check.
- Make it payable in U.S. dollars through a U.S. bank.
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Mail the form, copy of your photo ID, and payment
Mail them to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records
44132 Mercure Circle
PO Box 1213
Sterling, VA 20166-1213
You can give permission to a family member or friend who has known you for at least 5 years. We need:
An apostille certifies your document so countries in the 1961 Hague Convention will recognize it.
The cost is $50 if you request an apostille for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and you do not have a CRBA or your CRBA was issued more than 5 years ago.
You do not need to pay for an apostille if you already have a CRBA issued within the last five years.
If you need an apostille on your record, you must submit a:
Mail your notarized Form DS-5542, photocopy of your ID, and payment to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records
44132 Mercure Circle
PO Box 1213
Sterling, VA 20166-1213