Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
A child born outside the United States to a U.S. citizen parent or parents may be eligible for U.S. citizenship if the parent(s) meets the requirements for transmitting U.S. citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act. U.S. citizens eligible to transmit citizenship are required to file for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).
You will complete the initial application for a CRBA online. This allows us to check the documents you submitted before you visit us in person. If there’s an issue or missing document, we can contact you to fix it before your appointment. Follow these steps to apply online:
- Register for a MyTravelGov account. Use Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome web browser. Visit the MytravelGov portal and select “Sign In.” Then, select “login with logingov.” If you do not have a login.gov account already, select “create an account” to create one.
- Create an eCRBA application. Select “Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)” on the MyTravelGov homepage. Choose “New Application,” and follow the prompts.
- Schedule your in-person interview using our online system. After you submit the eCRBA application and payment, you will see a confirmation screen with a “Schedule” button. Use this to schedule your in-person interview. Follow the directions to make an appointment at your nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or office providing consular services. Select an appointment time at least 72 hours in the future. We need this time to process your payment before your appointment.
- Attend your appointment with your child at the scheduled time. Bring all necessary documentation with you.
*Note: Applicants must have a Login.gov account to access eCRBA services on the MyTravelGov portal. If you already have an eCRBA application in progress, use the same email address to create your login.gov account. This will link your existing application to the login.gov authentication system.
Paper-based Application: If you cannot apply online, please contact your local embassy for further instructions for your specific situation. You will need to schedule an in-person appointment. Before your appointment, you will also need to make photocopies of your documents to give to us during your appointment.
If only one parent is a U.S. citizen, then the U.S. citizen parent must provide evidence that they were physically present in the United States for five years, two of which occurred after the age of 14. Original copies of educational transcripts, proof of active-duty military service, and other documents may be accepted. All records must indicate complete dates (such as month, day, year). Please contact the Consular Section if you have any questions about suitable documents.
Additional information about establishing an official record of your child’s claim to U.S. citizenship at birth is available on the Department of State website. Please review the detailed information on the acquisition of U.S. citizenship depending on marital situation and citizenship of the parent(s) on the main webpage of the Consular Affairs Bureau of the Department of State.
The CRBA application must be made before the child’s 18th birthday, and we strongly recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth. A CRBA is not a travel document. Please note that CRBA is not a birth certificate and serves as a citizenship proof document which does not expire. Only the Embassy or Consulate in the country where the child was born can issue the Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
For children born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father, the father must formally acknowledge parentage and agree to support the child through age 18 as well as fulfill the U.S. physical presence requirement stated above. Form DS-5507 (PDF 36 KB) applies.