Report a Birth Abroad

Photo Format

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad is a certificate that states that a child is a U.S. citizen from birth.  Many, but not all, children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent are eligible to be documented as U.S. citizens through issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and U.S. passport. Learn more about transmitting citizenship here  

If you were previously issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and wish to request a replacement copy, please click here.
 
 Information regarding Indian visa and immigration can be found on the following Government of India websites: http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in/ ,  http://www.immigrationindia.nic.in/frro_chennairAdd2.htm , or www.mha.nic.in . American Citizen Services is unable to assist with  Indian visas or immigration requirements.

• Appointments are required to file a Consular Report of a Birth Abroad. Make an appointment online and print the appointment letter. Appointment are available for American citizens Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm.  We are closed on the last Wednesday of every month and on American and Indian holidays
  
  Make or Cancel an Appointment Here  
• Both parents and the child must appear at the Embassy in person on the date of the appointment with all of the required documents.   
• Complete the DS-2029 (PDF: 52. 3 KB)* online. Print the application and bring with the required documents to the interview. Do NOT sign the application. You will do so in the presence of the consular officer.  
• Attach additional sheets, if necessary, to document exact periods of physical presence in the U.S. 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. This is required only for the U.S. citizen parent. If both parents are U.S. citizens, exact period of presence is not required.

Required Documents
Parents typically choose to apply for the child's U.S. passport (DS-11 online application) at the same time they apply for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad. The list below covers both the Consular Report of Birth Abroad, and the U.S. Passport. 

Please bring the following original items to the interview: 

• Proof of the parents' identity and citizenship such as U.S. or other passports, original and one copy.
• Child's original birth certificate, plus one copy, issued by the local authorities (including English translation, if applicable).  The birth certificate must include the name of the child.
• One photo studio quality of the child, 2" x 2" in size and taken against a white background.  The child must be facing forward with his/her ears showing and eyes open. No other photo format will be accepted.  More information.            

• Prenatal and hospital records (e.g., ultrasounds, prescriptions, evidence of pre-natal doctor visits, hospital discharge documents, vaccination card, etc.)  
• The parents' original marriage certificate, plus one copy, or other proof of their relationship prior to the child’s conception. 
• Proof of the U.S. citizen parent's physical presence in the U.S. For children born to one U.S. citizen and one foreign national, the U.S. citizen parent will need to show five years of physical presence in the U.S., two of which must be after the age of 14.  Examples of items that show physical presence are school transcripts, income tax returns with Form W-2, Social Security earnings history, pay receipts, passport entry/exit stamps in current and previous passports, etc. Please be exact when determining your dates of physical presence.
• If also applying for a passport (see below) and only one parent is present in India, the other parent must complete Parental Consent Form DS-3053. This form must be notarized.  

You may choose to complete form SS-5-FS, Application for a Social Security Card (PDF: 157 KB), which we can forward to the Social Security Administration on your behalf.

Fees
Complete fee information is available here. If applying in person, you may pay with cash dollars, cash rupees (at the current exchange rate), demand draft,or a major U.S. credit card. Personal checks are not accepted.  

Indian Visa
Whether you plan to stay in India or travel outside India, your child will need an Indian visa.  After receiving the passport for your child, you can apply for an Indian visa at the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in your area.  The visa will be placed in your child’s new passport.

Passport Processing Time
Except in emergencies, passports are printed in the United States and take approximately two to three weeks.  Please consider this timeline when renewing or applying for passports. You will receive an automated email when your passport is ready.

Consular Report of Birth Abroad Delivery or Pick Up

If you opt to pick up your child’s passport and Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), you may do so between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding the last Wednesday of the month and American and Indian holidays. You do not need an appointment to pick up these items.

The U.S. Consulate is pleased to provide courier delivery services for U.S. passports and CRBAs, effective August 16, 2010.  All passports and CRBAs which are not picked up at the Consulate must be delivered through VFS courier services.  This service will allow for timely tracking and delivery of your child’s passport and CRBA.  Please read carefully the instructions below so as to arrive at your appointment prepared.

1. Prior to your appointment at the Chennai Consulate, obtain a demand draft in the amount of Rs. 166 per passport service . We cannot accept cash for this service. Please ensure that the DD is payable at Chennai and should  be made out to “VFS Global Services Pvt Ltd”. Any variation from this will not be accepted by VFS. Each child’s passport/CRBA can be delivered together for one fee of Rs. 166.  If you are applying for more than one child, the demand draft total should be Rs. 166 per child.
2. At the appointment, you will be asked to provide the VFS demand draft and a courier slip for each individual applicant.  You may access the VFS courier slip on their website at: https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/USIndia/uspassportservices.html.

 
Insufficient Evidence of Relationship
If the documentation provided does not clearly establish the stated relationship, DNA testing may be recommended.

In cases involving Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), clear evidence of the child’s genetic relationship to the transmitting U.S. citizen parent is required in addition to the other transmission requirements noted above.  We recommend that all medical procedures and agreements be carefully documented in order to establish the facts regarding the genetic parentage of the child. Consular Officers must consider all pertinent documents related to the CRBA application. It is highly likely that DNA will be recommended in these cases. Please review the DNA testing procedures on our website for more information on the procedures.  DNA kits take approximately two weeks to arrive at post, and it takes at least another two weeks after the testing to receive the results.  If you feel that DNA may be required in your case, you may order DNA kits in advance of your appointment. DNA testing information is available here.

Questions?
mailto:acsnd@state.gov