Consular Report of Birth Abroard

Dear parent,

If you are a U.S. citizen and the parent of a child born out of the United States, you will need to document your child’s U.S. citizenship with a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. This document is used in the United States like a certified copy of a birth certificate, and it is acceptable evidence of citizenship for obtaining a passport and entering school. Although the application forms and final documents are the same everywhere, our embassies and consulates have different procedures to get them. If you haven’t done so already, check your local post website to learn the local rules. Our Embassies and Consulates will need you to make an appointment for this service.

No matter where you apply, some things are the same in every country outside the United States. Here is what’s standard everywhere:

Application Forms

You will use the same application form DS-2029 (PDF 110 KB) no matter where you apply for the “Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).

Supporting Documents­

You will need all of the following:

1. The child’s foreign birth certificate (for Angola: Assento de Nascimento).
2. Proof of citizenship of the U.S. citizen parent(s). Your current passport is the preferred form of proof. Your U.S. birth certificate or naturalization certificate is also acceptable.
3. Proof of the relationship between the U.S. citizen parent(s) and the child. Your child’s birth certificate with both parents’ names on it is the best form of proof.
4. If you are married, we need to see proof. If you have prior marriages, we need to see proof of how those marriages ended.
5. A statement from either U.S. citizen parent and evidence that she/he lived in the U.S. long enough to transmit citizenship to her/his child. The statement you give is called an Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence, and Support form DS-5507 (PDF 112 KB).

How long is long enough? That will depend on whether the parents are married, and whether one or both is a U.S. citizen. Learn more about transmitting citizenship here.

How you prove you were physically present will depend a lot on your situation. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Some examples of acceptable evidence include school transcripts, old passports, income tax returns, utility bills in the name of the parent, employment records, military records, and or medical records. The more you can provide, the easier it will be for the consular officer to approve the CRBA.

PLEASE NOTE: for CRBA and first-time passport applications, the name of the applicant should match their birth document(s). Material changes to the applicant’s name must be supported by an amended document or other name change evidence. An affidavit from the parents is not sufficient to establish a material name change.

Fees: We charge fees for this service. The current fee is $100, can be paid in AO too, cash only.