Overview
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)!
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal document certifying the acquisition of United States citizenship at birth for a person born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). United States non-citizen nationals are also eligible for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, using the non-citizen option.
CRBA applications must be made before the child’s 18th birthday. We recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply, your child must have been born abroad (outside the U.S. or its outlying possessions) and your child must accompany you to U.S. Embassy Manama, Bahrain for the in-person interview.
To be eligible to apply for a CRBA online, you MUST answer all the following criteria with YES.
- Was the child born abroad (outside the U.S. or its outlying possessions)?
- Is the child under the age of 18?
- Was at least one parent a U.S. citizen or U.S. non-citizen national when the child was born?
- Can you use an internationally accepted credit/debit card or a direct payment method from a U.S. dollar denominated bank account (also known as “ACH”) to pay online for your Consular Report of Birth Abroad application?
- Are you a biological parent of a child born abroad who is applying for that child?
If any of the above statements do not apply to you, you MUST apply by completing a paper application (DS-2029).
How to Apply
You can now apply for a CRBA electronically at U.S. Embassy Manama, Bahrain! This new online feature allows U.S. citizen parents to complete a CRBA application online, upload all required documents, and submit payment prior to the in-person interview.
- To apply for a CRBA online, you need to create a MyTravelGov account or sign-in to your existing account. MyTravelGov is a secured, encrypted portal that you can use to start an eCRBA application or access an existing eCRBA application.
- Once you sign in or create a MyTravelGov account you can access eCRBA and submit your application online. The easy-to-use online process provides applicants with step-by-step instructions on how to complete the application. You may review the necessary documents for the CRBA application in advance by reviewing this checklist.
- Once you complete the online application and submit payment, please schedule your appointment at U.S. Embassy Manama, Bahrain. Please schedule your appointment at least 72 hours after payment submission. This provides time for your payment to be processed prior to your CRBA interview. Please Note: Do NOT make another (or duplicate) payment for a CRBA ($100) at the Embassy.
- Attend your scheduled in-person interview with your child, original documents, and their photocopies (single-sided). Original documents will be returned to you after reviewing your application. You must provide English translations for all foreign language documents. The child must be present at the time of application. Generally, both parents also attend the interview.
Need Help?
We are here to help!
- You can access eCRBA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.
- You can view the eCRBA Customer Application Instructions here.
- For questions or concerns please contact ManamaConsular@state.gov.
Other Important Information
Passport applications and Social Security Card applications must be completed and submitted separately.
Please note that an application for a Social Security Number can only be submitted after receiving the original Consular Report of Birth Abroad and Passport. To obtain a Social Security Number for your child, see further details at https://bh.usembassy.gov/birth/#ss-applications.