General Information
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.
A child born abroad may acquire U.S. citizenship if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen when the child was born and the U.S. citizen parent meets physical presence requirements. For most applicants, the U.S. citizen parent must demonstrate five years of physical presence in the United States or one of its territories, including at least two years after the age of fourteen; this period of physical presence must have been completed prior to the child’s birth. If both parents are U.S. citizens, you need to be able to show that either parent previously had physical presence in the U.S.
When applying for a passport or a consular report of birth abroad (CRBA), bring originals of all required documents to your appointment – they will be returned after the interview. Missing documents may cause delays or require the appointment to be rescheduled.
Please note that by law, passport and CRBA fees are non-refundable.
eCRBA allows U.S. citizen parents to complete a CRBA application online, upload all required documents, and submit payment prior to the in-person interview. If you are also applying for your child’s first passport and social security number, you will need to complete Form DS-11 and Form SS-5.
HOW TO APPLY and APPLICATION FORMS
Step 1: Complete eCRBA, passport and social security applications
eCRBA application: Create a MyTravelGov account where you can access eCRBA and complete your application online. Parent’s passports must be signed prior to uploading the application.
Application for a Passport: Complete Form DS-11: https://pptform.state.gov/ . Print the completed form but DO NOT sign the form until you are asked to sign it during your child’s appointment. Print both pages, single-sided.
- For applicants under 16, both parents should attend with the child. If any parent is unable to attend, they must submit a notarized Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent. The form can be downloaded here . At the time the DS-3053 form is presented, a copy of the same identity document presented to notarize the form must also be provided.
Application for a Social Security Number: If your child is under the age of five, you may also apply for your child’s social security number. Click here to complete and print form SS-5 .
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
Step 2: Assemble documents
- The child’s birth certificate
- Evidence of the U.S. citizen parent’s or parents’ physical presence in the United States prior to the child’s birth. Please click here to review our separate “Providing Physical Presence” document.
- Proof of the parent(s) U.S. citizenship. U.S. Passport preferably. The passport must signed. If the parent was naturalized as a U.S. citizen, please also bring the original Certificate of Naturalization.
- If one of the parents is not a U.S. citizen: Foreign passport or other government issued photo ID. The passport must be signed.
- If the child’s parents are married: The original civil/legal marriage certificate.
- If either parent has ever been married in the past: The original divorce decree, death certificate (or evidence of termination) for all previous marriages.
- If the child has been issued with a passport of another nationality: Their other nationality passport.
- The child’s U.S. passport photograph. Please ensure you have reviewed photograph requirements here .
You should be providing hard copies of each document you have uploaded to the portal. It should be the original or civil/legal copy of the document. In some instances, we may be able to accept photocopies of evidence of physical presence in the U.S. The consular officer will determine if you need to present the original(s) of physical residence information.
Payment and Appointment Information and Processing Information
Step 3: Pay eCRBA and passport fee
Once you complete the online eCRBA application you will be able to submit payment ($100) through your MyTravelGov account.
Please note that there are additional fees for the passport application. The fees are:
Child under the age of 16: $135 for the passport application.
Child aged 16 or 17: $165 for the passport application.
Pay online using the U.S. government’s secure payment site. Paying online will reduce the wait time during your appointment. You must print your payment confirmation page (which shows the transaction details) and bring it to your appointment. Click here to pay online .
Alternatively pay in-person at your appointment. Please note the CRBA fee must be paid online via the MyTravelGov portal.
- Credit/Debit card (Visa, MasterCard) – card transactions are in U.S. dollars, and you may be subject to additional fees applied by your payment card provider. The cardholder must be present at the time of payment. Contactless/Apple Pay methods are not accepted.
- Cash in U.S. dollars or Bermuda dollars, no mixture of the two currencies.
Step 4: Request an appointment
To request an appointment, you must have first completed your eCRBA application and uploaded all required supporting documents. You should also have completed your DS-11 and SS-5-FS applications as applicable:
EMAIL US at hamiltonconsulate@state.gov with the following information:
USE THIS SUBJECT LINE: E55 – FULL NAME – CRBA for example, E55 – SMITH, First name, Middle name(s) – CRBA
IN THE BODY OF THE EMAIL:
- Last name of child
- First name of child
- Child’s date of birth
- Case Number on CRBA application
Step 5: Attend your interview
Both parents and child should attend the in-person interview in-hand with original documents. Please ensure you arrive on time for your appointment; arriving late may mean we have to cancel your appointment. Original documents will be returned to you after reviewing your application. You must provide English translations for all foreign language documents.
For applicants under 16 both parents should attend with the child. If only one parent or legal guardian attends, please see information below.
If any custodial parent is not able to attend, they must submit a notarized Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent. The form can be downloaded here . At the time the DS-3053 form is presented, a copy of the same identity document presented to notarize the form must also be provided.
Please note: The notarized DS-3053 must be less than three months old.
If you have sole legal authority to act on behalf of the child, we require official documentation. Examples include:
- Original copy of the child’s birth certificate listing you as the only parent.
- Complete court order granting sole legal custody of the child, such as a divorce decree or other custody order.
- Complete court order specifically permitting you to apply solely for the child’s passport.
- Certified copy of an adoption decree listing you as the only parent.
- Certified copy of the judicial declaration of incompetence of the parent that cannot appear in person.
- Certified copy of the death certificate for non-applying parent.
Additional documentation may be requested depending on the circumstances of the case. You will be advised during your appointment if additional evidence is required.
Step 6: Processing and delivery
CRBA and first U.S. passport: Approximately four weeks, however, these timescales are guidelines only, as some cases may take longer. You will receive an email when the documents are ready for collection.
Social Security Card (if applying at U.S. Embassy London): Your child’s social security card will be sent to you directly from the Social Security Administration. We cannot provide timescales for delivery. If you have further questions, you may contact our Federal Benefits unit directly at https://uk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/federal-benefits.
Consular Report of Birth or Death
The U.S Consulate in Bermuda is able to prepare two types of consular documents.
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad: A document issued by the U.S. Consulate reflecting the facts of a birth abroad of a child acquiring U.S. citizenship at birth through one or both parents. This record, also known as an FS-240, along with the Certification of Birth, DS-1350, are acceptable as proof of birth and U.S. citizenship for all legal purposes. Please go to Reports of Birth for more information.
- Report of the Death of an American Citizen: A document issued by the U.S. Consulate reflecting the facts of a death abroad of an American citizen. The document is based upon the local death certificate. For more information regarding deaths of American citizens please go to Deaths of Americans Abroad or contact the consulate.
How to Apply for a Certified Copy of One of These Reports:
Since the consulate does not keep copies of reports of birth or death in office for very long, applicants must submit a signed, written request including all pertinent facts of the occasion along with requester’s return address and telephone number. Only the subject, parent, or legal guardian may request a birth record. If the request is for a Consular Report of Birth or FS-240, the original FS-240 or a notarized affidavit attesting to its disposition must be included with the request. If a birth record is to be amended or corrected, appropriate certified documents supporting the request must be included.
Where to write:
U.S. Department of State
Office of Law Enforcement Liaison
44132 Mercure Circle
P.O. Box 1227
Sterling, VA 20166
Fees: $50.00 for a replacement copy of the Consular Report of Birth (FS-240) and the Certification of Birth (DS-1350); $20.00 for first copy and $10.00 for each additional copy. There is a $30 fee for a certified copy of a Report of Death, and a $20 fee for each additional copy provided as part of the same request. Make check or bank draft drawn on a bank in the United States, or money order, payable to the “Department of State.”
Turnaround time: Unlike passport agencies, which have received all of the documentation needed from the applicant, most consular vital records must be retrieved from off-site repositories, including the National Archives. Since the time required to retrieve these records varies significantly based up the type of record and date of occurrence, it is impossible to give an exact estimate of the turnaround time. However, most cases can be completed within eight to twelve weeks.
Expedited Service: Overnight delivery can save processing time, but there is no way to reduce the retrieval time. Overnight return via Federal Express is available for an additional $10.00, or the requester may provide a prepaid air bill for the courier of choice.
Additional Information: Please contact the consulate or call the Passport Correspondence Office in Washington DC at (202) 955-0307.