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Reports of Birth Abroad

Reports of Birth Abroad

If you are a U.S. citizen, it is possible that any child born to you is a U.S. citizen, too. U.S. citizen parents of children born abroad are urged to obtain a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), which will serve as evidence of the child's citizenship for school, work, or other purposes. A CRBA can only be issued at an American Consular Office overseas, and only before the child reaches 18 years of age. If your child is 18 years or older, the U.S. parent must still meet all the CRBA criteria, but only a U.S. passport application will be accepted.

  • Parents seeking to obtain a CRBA or passport for a child must be able to demonstrate that:
  • At least one of the parents was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child’s birth;
  • The child is the biological child of the U.S. citizen parent(s); and

If only one of the parents is a U.S. citizen, the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the United States prior to the birth of the child; if both parents are U.S. citizens, at least one of them must have resided in the U.S. prior to the child’s birth. The period of physical presence in the U.S. required to transmit citizenship to a child born abroad varies depending on the date of birth of the child and the marital status of the parents.

To apply for a CRBA for your child, visit the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Mexico closest to your child’s place of birth. The website listing all the locations is: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/edirectory.html

To apply for a CRBA at the Consulate General, Ciudad Juarez

  • Complete application form DS-2029, as well as the Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence
  • If you are applying for a passport instead of, or in addition to, a CRBA, fill out form DS-11
  • The U.S. citizen parent(s) and child must be present at the time of application.
  • In addition to the application forms, the parent(s) must provide the following documents, along with a copy of each:
  • Original or certified copies of birth certificate(s) from the local civil registry and hospital birth certificate(s) for the child, and any baptismal certificate(s) the child may have.
  • Prenatal documents or the mother. (e.g. ultrasounds, prescriptions, evidence of doctor visits, etc.).
  • Documents from the hospital where the child was born
  • Proof of U.S. citizenship of parent or parents (e.g. birth certificate –original or certified copy), U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, etc.).
  • Proof of parent’s identity: Photo ID and document showing date/place of birth of non-citizen parent.
  • Original or certified copy of the parents’ marriage certificate (if applicable).
  • Documentary evidence of termination of any previous marriages of either parent (e.g. original or certified copy of divorce decree, death certificate, etc.). for all previous spouses, if applicable.
  • If only one parent is a U.S. citizen, proof must be submitted of the U.S. citizen parent’s periods of physical presence in the United States which took place prior to the birth of the child to be registered (e.g. school records, military records, income tax returns, proof of employment, social security records, census reports, etc.). The parent must prove at least five years of physical presence in the U.S., at least two of which are after the age of 14.
  • If the U.S. citizen mother was single at the time of birth, she must show 12 continuous months if physical presence in the U.S. prior to the child’s birth.
  • If the child was born before November 14, 1986, the parent must prove ten years physical presence, at least five after the age of 14.

    • CRBA fee: $65.00 USD

    Passport Book: $100 USD

    Passport Card: $45 USD

    Passport Book and Card together: $120 USD adults; $95 USD minors.