U.S. Citizen Services
Report of Birth Abroad
To register the birth of your child as an American citizen and to obtain a first passport, please call the Consular Section of the Embassy (445-700 ext 2337) to schedule an appointment. All necessary forms may be downloaded online (see instructions below).
Registration of U.S. Citizen Children Born Abroad
U.S. citizens with children who were born outside the United States must register them at the nearest U.S. Consular Office in order to document them as U.S. citizens. In the registration process, a Consular officer determines the eligibility of U.S. citizen parents to "transmit" citizenship to the child. The requirements of U.S. law for the transmission of U.S. citizenship to a child are described below.
Upon registration, the child will be issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (Form FS-240). This document is a basic citizenship document. In the United States, it may be easier to present this document as a birth certificate in place of a foreign birth certificate.
In most cases the child's passport application will be sent to the National Passport Center and the passport will be returned to the Embassy about two weeks after your interview.
U.S. citizen parents should register their children as soon as possible but it is imperative that registrations take place before the children reach eighteen years of age. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad cannot be prepared if the child is 18 years old or more at the time the birth is reported. Persons born abroad who are more than 18 years of age, and who believe they have a claim to U.S. citizenship, but who have never been documented as a U.S. citizen, should apply to the nearest American consular office for information and assistance in investigating their claim to U.S. nationality.
Only the child's U.S. parent(s) or legal guardian(s) may apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad on a child's behalf. Both parents must sign the application for the child's first passport. Please see instructions on obtaining a first passport. A notarized statement of authorization from the natural parent may be required in some instances.
Requirements for Transmission of U.S. Citizenship to Children Born Abroad
Children born in Wedlock
Born to two U.S. citizen parents
If either parent has resided in the United States prior to the birth of the child, the child acquires U.S. citizenship under the provisions of Section 301 (c) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. There is no requisite period of residence for the parents in the U.S., but it must have been at some time prior to the birth of the child.
Born to one U.S. citizen and one alien parent
The U.S. citizen parent must have been physically present in the United States for a period (or periods totaling) five years prior to the birth of the child, at least two years of which were after the U.S. citizen parent reached the age of fourteen years. If this requirement is met, the child acquires U.S. citizenship under the provisions of Section 301(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (as amended by Public Law 99-653 of November 14, l986).
Children Born out of Wedlock
Born to a U.S. citizen mother
The U.S. citizen mother must have been physically present in the United States for a continuous period of at least one year before the child's birth. This period of presence may have been at any time before the child's birth. If this requirement is met, the child acquires U.S. citizenship under the provisions of Section 309(c) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act.
Born to a U.S. citizen father and an alien mother
In November 1986, the United States Immigration and Nationality Act was amended to permit a child born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father and an alien mother to acquire U.S. citizenship at birth based upon clear and convincing evidence of paternity. The father must have fulfilled the appropriate physical presence requirements under Section 301(g) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act (ten or five years of physical presence as explained).
In addition, the United States citizen father must:
- sign a written agreement to provide financial support until the child reaches the age of eighteen years; and
- Make a statement under oath acknowledging parentage, or legitimate the child under the law of the child's residence or domicile; or, have the paternity of the child adjudicated and established by a competent court. The appropriate form is attached. Please do not sign until asked to do so by the Consular officer.
What if you do not have enough residence time in the US to transmit citizenship?
If you are an American citizen but do not have a period of physical presence in the United States sufficient to transmit your U.S. nationality to your child, you should be aware that The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 allows certain foreign-born, biological and adopted children of American citizens to acquire American citizenship automatically. These children did not acquire American citizenship at birth, but they are granted citizenship when they enter the United States as lawful permanent residents. Further information on the Child Citizenship Act and Petitioning for an Immigrant Visa for an Immediate Family Member is available by clicking on the links.
What to bring to the Consular Section of the Embassy in order to register your child as an American citizen.
- Note: The child you are registering MUST be present at the time of application.
- Completed Consular Report of Birth Abroad Application Worksheet (DS-2029). The worksheet is a copy of the Consular Report of Birth Abroad application. Please complete it fully and accurately prior to your appointment in order to shorten your wait. You will complete another at the embassy once the consular staff has reviewed and verified your worksheet.
- The form must be completed completely and accurately. Information regarding periods of physical presence in the US should be carefully reconstructed and documented for both parents, even if one is not a United States citizen, prior to coming to the embassy for your appointment. You may use additional sheets of paper if necessary.
- Instructions are on the second page of the application form. Please read and follow them closely.
If you have any doubts about any of the information requested, please leave those areas blank until you have discussed them with the consular staff.
Supporting Documentation
The documentary evidence that must accompany the Consular Report of Birth Abroad application is listed on the reverse of the worksheet. All documents submitted must be originals or certified copies from the issuing authority. Regulations do not permit exceptions.
If the parents were married in a country besides the United States or Bosnia, and the document is in a language other than English, bring the original foreign marriage certificate issued by the authorities in the country and an official translation in English.
If either of the parents was previously married, bring originals or certified copies of evidence of the termination of all prior marriages.
Fees
The application fee for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad is $65 or the equivalent in KM. Cash and Credit cards (Visa, American Express, MasterCard, Discover) are the only means of payment accepted.