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CRBA: registering a U.S. citizen child born abroad
Documenting citizenship for children born to U.S. citizen parents outside the country.
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Short answer
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad records the U.S. citizenship of a child born outside the country to a citizen parent. It works like a birth certificate for every U.S. purpose. Apply at the consulate before the child turns 18, and ideally in the first year, while the evidence is easy to gather.
Get your child a U.S. birth record and passport.
What is a CRBA?
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), also issued as Form FS-240, is the official U.S. government document for a child born outside the United States to a U.S. citizen parent. It serves as proof of the child's U.S. citizenship or nationality.
The CRBA is obtained at the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country where the child was born. The application is completed in person, with the parent signing the required forms in front of a consular officer or notary.
Who is eligible for a CRBA?
Eligibility depends on the parent's citizenship, the child's age and the relationship between the parent and the child. The child normally has to be under 18 when the application is submitted, so it is best to apply as soon as possible after the birth.
Both parents are married U.S. Citizens
A child born abroad to two married U.S. citizens can receive a CRBA if at least one parent is biologically related to the child and lived in the United States before the birth. If one parent is a U.S. national rather than a citizen, that parent must have lived in the United States for at least one year before the birth.
One parent is a U.S. Citizen married to a non-citizen
A CRBA can be issued if the U.S. citizen parent lived in the United States for at least five years before the child's birth, including two years after age 14. This applies even where the child was born through IVF or surrogacy.
The father is unmarried and a U.S. Citizen
An unmarried U.S. citizen father can pass on citizenship if he agrees to support the child financially and meets the five-year physical presence requirement, with at least two of those years after age 14.
The mother is unmarried and a U.S. Citizen
For children born before June 12, 2017, the unmarried mother must have lived in the United States for one year before the birth. For children born after June 11, 2017, she must meet the five-year physical presence requirement, with two years after age 14, following the Supreme Court decision in Sessions v. Morales-Santana.
How to apply for a CRBA
The application usually starts online, on the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate covering the place where the child was born.
You can create a MyTravelGov account to submit the application digitally, or download and complete Form DS-2029 where online submission is not available at that post.
Form DS-2029 is also used when one parent is not a U.S. citizen or cannot attend the appointment, and when the child was born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen or national father. In that case the father signs the form in front of an authorized official at the U.S. embassy or consulate.
Required documents for a CRBA application
Plan on gathering the following records before the appointment:
- The child's birth certificate
- The parents' marriage certificate, if applicable
- Proof of U.S. citizenship for the parent or parents, such as a U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization certificate or a previous CRBA
- Evidence of the parent's physical presence in the United States before the child's birth, such as utility bills, rental agreements or employment records
- Proof that any prior marriages have ended, such as divorce papers or death certificates
- Legal guardianship documents or affidavits, if applicable
Who qualifies?
At least one parent is a U.S. citizen
Whether by birth or naturalization.
That parent meets the physical-presence requirement
Time lived in the U.S. before the birth. The exact amount is set out in the eligibility section above.
You can document the relationship
Birth certificate, marriage record and, where needed, DNA testing.
The child is under 18
After that, a different route applies.
Schedule a case evaluation
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Do you qualify? A four-question check
Do you qualify? A four-question check
Four questions. Nothing you answer is stored or sent to us.
What does the process look like?
Confirm the transmission rule
1 week
Which rule applies depends on the birth year and the parents' status.
Gather physical-presence evidence
2 to 6 weeks
Transcripts, tax records, employment history, passport stamps.
File the CRBA and passport application
Appointment dependent
Done together at the consulate.
Interview and issuance
2 to 10 weeks
Both parents usually attend with the child.
How long does it take?
Consular appointment waits vary by post from a few weeks to a few months. Once approved, the CRBA and the child's first passport are usually issued together within a few weeks.
What does it cost?
Flat fee.
We charge a flat fee to assemble and present the physical-presence case. Consular fees are set by the State Department and separate.
Government filing fees are set by the agencies and are not part of our fee.
Frequently asked questions
There are alternative routes, including a grandparent-based provision, and we look for them before you give up.
Contact
Tell us about your case
Send us the basics and we'll reply within one business day in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
- We reply within one business day, in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
- Consultations by phone, Zoom or WhatsApp.
- Attorney input is part of our case evaluation process from the start. The information you share is carefully reviewed with an attorney.
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