Not a government site. We do not sell certificates. About us

VitalRecordsByState
Menu

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)

A CRBA documents that a child born abroad was a U.S. citizen at birth; it does not prove who the legal parents are.1 A Report of Birth Abroad has the same force as proof of citizenship as a certificate of naturalization or citizenship.2

Last checked against official sources.

On this page
  1. Applying
  2. Evidence
  3. Passing citizenship to the child
  4. Births in U.S. territories
  5. Replacing or amending a CRBA
  6. Sources

Applying

Who may apply
Parent(s) and legal guardian3
Age limit
Before the child turns 181
Where
Online at most U.S. embassies and consulates (via MyTravelGov), following the local embassy or consulate's steps.1
Fee
$1004
Adults never documented
A person 18 or over whose citizenship was never documented should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.5

Evidence

Proof of birth
An authentic copy of the local birth record, or a baptismal certificate, military hospital certificate of birth, or affidavit of the doctor or birth attendant.3
Proof of citizenship
Evidence of the parent's citizenship and, where required, of the parent's physical presence in the United States.3

Typical documents:5

  • Child's birth certificate
  • Evidence of parent's U.S. citizenship (certified birth certificate, U.S. passport, or Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship)
  • Evidence of the parents' marriage, if applicable
  • Affidavit(s) of the parents' physical presence in the United States

Passing citizenship to the child

Both parents U.S. citizens
Born abroad to two U.S. citizen parents, one of whom had a residence in the U.S. before the birth.6
One U.S. citizen parent
The citizen parent must have been physically present in the United States for 5 years before the birth, 2 of them after age 14.6
Unmarried U.S. citizen mother
One year of continuous physical presence in the United States before the birth.7

Births in U.S. territories

The State Department lists these places and dates as not eligible for a CRBA:1

  • 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

Replacing or amending a CRBA

Office
U.S. Department of State, Passport Vital Records Section (replacement and amended CRBAs only)8
Who may request
Registrant age 18 or older, parent (registrant under 18), authorized government agency and person with written authorization from the registrant8
Fee
$508
Payable to
U.S. Department of State8
Processing time
4 to 8 weeks8
Expedited service
Not offered8
Older forms
DS-1350 stopped being issued December 31, 2010; FS-240 and DS-1350 already issued remain valid.5

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these official sources, checked on November 5, 2026. Tap a source number next to a fact to read the exact words.

  1. Birth of U.S. Citizens and Non-Citizen Nationals AbroadU.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs (travel.state.gov)dated July 10, 2024read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  2. 22 U.S.C. 2705 Documentation of citizenshipU.S. Government Publishing Office, United States Code 2024 edition, govinfo.gov
  3. 22 CFR 50.5 Application for registration of birth abroadOffice of the Federal Register / GPO, eCFR: 22 CFR 50.5 (Department of State)dated November 3, 2026
  4. 22 CFR 22.1 Schedule of fees for consular servicesOffice of the Federal Register / GPO, eCFR: 22 CFR 22.1 (Department of State)dated November 3, 2026
  5. Where to Write: Foreign Birth and Death CertificatesCDC National Center for Health Statisticsdated November 6, 2015
  6. 8 U.S.C. 1401 Nationals and citizens of United States at birthU.S. Government Publishing Office, United States Code 2024 edition, govinfo.gov
  7. 8 U.S.C. 1409 Children born out of wedlockU.S. Government Publishing Office, United States Code 2024 edition, govinfo.gov
  8. How to Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Vital Records (travel.state.gov)dated February 10, 2026read from the Internet Archive copy of this official page
  9. Form DS-5542 Request for Overseas U.S. Citizen Vital Records Services (01-2023)U.S. Department of Statedated January 1, 2023