- AUGUST 23, 2022
As U.S. citizen parent(s), you should report your child’s birth abroad as soon as possible to the U.S. Consulate to establish an official record of the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (‘CRBA’, also known as Form FS-240) is official proof of U.S. citizenship issued to a child under age 18 who was born abroad to United States citizen parent(s) and met the requirements for acquiring U.S. citizenship at birth. The CRBA certificate can be used for school registration, obtaining a U.S. passport, demonstrating entitlement to U.S. citizenship benefits, etc. One original copy of this document will be sent to the consulate for pickup or delivery about two weeks after an application is approved.
To receive this document, the child’s parent(s) will need to complete a Form DS-2029 (PDF 52K) ‘Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad’. This application must be submitted before the child’s 18th birthday. We encourage parents to document their child’s citizenship as soon as possible after the birth. Delay in doing so could cause problems in establishing the child’s U.S. citizenship and his/her eligibility for the rights and benefits of U.S. citizenship, including entry into the United States. Please note: Even if you have registered other children at the same Consulate, your child’s application should be filled out completely, including the parents’ physical presence in the United States.
To begin the process, or for frequently asked questions, please see click on our South Africa CRBA Navigator
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