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Records and Authentications > Requesting a Vital Record as a U.S. Citizen > How to Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
A child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents may acquire U.S. citizenship at birth if certain requirements are met. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA, or Form FS-240) is a document that certifies a child acquired U.S. citizenship at birth. You should report the birth of a child born abroad at a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas. The U.S. embassy or consulate will issue you a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Our office only issues replacement or amended CRBAs.
Who can replace or amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad:
On January 3, 2011, the U.S. Department of State began issuing a new Consular Report of Birth Abroad form (FS-240). You may request multiple copies of this document at any time. We no longer issue the Certificate of Report of Birth (DS-1350). All previously issued FS-240 and DS-1350 documents are still valid for proof of identity, citizenship, and other legal purposes.
To request a Consular Report of Birth Abroad form (FS-240), you must submit:
1. A notarized typed or written letter that includes all of the following information:
2. A copy of your valid photo ID. Examples:
If you don't have any of these IDs, please see Passport Vital Records IDs.
3. Payment
4. Mail the request, copy of the photo ID, and payment to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records Section
44132 Mercure Cir.
PO Box 1213
Sterling, VA 20166-1213
Note: Avoid delays by notarizing your request and including a copy of your valid photo identification.
Processing Times
You should expect to receive your document in 3 to 4 months. Some documents may take longer than 4 months due to nationwide shipping delays. Because of the unique nature of our records, we cannot provide expedited service. We can only provide official copies of records that are on file with the U.S. Department of State. Consular Reports of Birth Abroad created before November 1, 1990 may require an in-depth, manual search at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). A manual search can take months to complete.
Shipping Your Record
We will send your vital record to you. You can select First Class Mail or 1-2 Day Delivery:
Do not include a pre-paid express mail envelope with your request. This will cause a delay in delivery.
To amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240), you must submit:
1. A notarized letter that includes the following information:
2. Original or certified copies of documents from the authority which issued the document which show the change you are requesting. We can accept:
We cannot accept notarized copies or photocopies of these documents.
You can select male (M), female (F), or unspecified or another gender identity (X) as your gender marker if you are applying for a U.S. passport book and selecting routine service. Beginning in late 2023, you will be able to select X as a marker if you are seeking a passport card or selecting expedited service. By late 2023, we anticipate completing additional technological updates so that the X gender marker will be available on the following documents we issue:
We have more information about selecting your gender on a U.S. passport on the Selecting Your Gender Marker page.
3. The original FS-240, CRBA, any replacement FS-240s, and any other birth records issued by the U.S. Department of State, such as Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350) and Certification of Birth Abroad (FS-545), OR
A notarized affidavit stating the location (i.e. lost, stolen or destroyed) of the original FS-240, CRBA, and any replacement FS-240, DS-1350, or FS-545 issued by the U.S. Department of State.
Please return all previous FS-240s, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, and any other birth records issued to you by the U.S. Department of State. If you cannot submit these documents, please let us know why in your notarized statement. We need this information to issue you an amended Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
4. A copy of your valid photo identification. Examples:
If you don't have any of these IDs, please see Passport Vital Records IDs.
5. Payment
6. Mail to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records Section
44132 Mercure Cir.
PO Box 1213
Sterling, VA 20166-1213
Note: Avoid delays by notarizing your request and including a copy of your valid photo identification.
Processing Times
You should expect to receive your document in 3 to 4 months. Some documents may take longer than 16 weeks due to nationwide shipping delays. Because of the unique nature of our records, we cannot provide expedited service. We can only provide official copies of records that are on file with the U.S. Department of State. Consular Reports of Birth Abroad created before November 1, 1990 may require an in-depth, manual search at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). A manual search can take months to complete.
Shipping
We will send your vital record to you. You can select First Class Mail or 1-2 Day Delivery:
Yes. He or she must be a family member or friend who has known you for at least five years. We need the following information:
Apostilles are specialized certificates attached to your consular documents. If you need an apostille to satisfy foreign document requirements, you must submit a notarized request and a copy of a valid state-issued ID (e.g. driver's license) to the address listed below. If you already have a consular document issued within the last five years, you don't need to pay for the apostille. In addition to the Consular Report of Birth Aboard, you can request other consular documents for $50 per copy:
You must ensure that the country for intended use is a member of the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents.
Please send your notarized request and fee (if necessary) to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records Section
44132 Mercure Circle
PO Box 1213
Sterling, VA 20166-1213
Use this form to request a status check or information about your consular record.
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Due a technical issue, we did not receive your inquiry. Please try to submit your inquiry again. If you can not submit your inquiry using this form, email VitalRecordsPublicInquiries@state.gov or by calling 202-485-8300.
Other Resources
For information on requesting a Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization, go to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website.
Go to our visa reciprocity pages for information on requesting foreign birth certificates.