consular report of birth abroad of a citizen of the u.s.a

A Consular Report of Birth (Form FS-240) is official evidence of U.S. citizenship issued to a child under age 18 who was born abroad to United States citizen parent(s) and acquired citizenship at birth. Because a child's foreign birth certificate is insufficient to prove U.S. citizenship, the Consular Report of Birth Abroad is primary evidence to show how and when a child acquires U.S. citizenship.

A child's derivative claim to U.S. citizenship depends on the existence of a legal and blood relationship between the child and U.S. citizen parent(s). Therefore, adopted children do not acquire citizenship automatically upon adoption. However, adopted children, or some children born abroad to U.S. citizen parent who were found to have no derivative claim to citizenship, may be eligible for citizenship through naturalization under the Child Citizenship Act of 2000. Click here for information and application forms.

Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad must be made 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 inconvenience and possibly deprive your child of this valuable document. A person age 18 or above, who has derivative claim to U.S. citizenship but has never been issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, may be documented as a U.S. citizen by applying for registration and a passport.

DUAL NATIONAL CHILDREN

Even though your children may also acquire foreign nationality, U.S. laws require all U.S. citizens to enter and depart the United States on a valid U.S. passport at all times. Therefore, they should not enter the United States on a foreign passport or on the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

WHERE TO OBTAIN AN APPLICATION FOR CONSULAR REPORT OF BIRTH ABROAD AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER CARD

The application (Form DS-2029/SS-5) is available only from the Consular Section at the Embassy of U.S. in Port Moresby. Please send your request for the application form, and provide your postal address, via email to the Consular Officer, at ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov

HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION

If you reside within Port Moresby, a U.S. citizen parent must submit the application in person at the Embassy. Otherwise, you may submit your application by mail.

Section B (No. 16) on the application form

• Application submitted in person at the Consular Officer:
  The oath must be signed by the U.S. citizen parent in the presence of the Consular Officer
• Application submitted via mail:
  The oath must be signed by the U.S. citizen parent in the presence of a local Notary Public.

The Consular Officer may request additional documents/evidence and/or a personal interview of the parents and child when deemed necessary. You may submit both the applications for Consular Report of Birth Abroad and for a passport for your child at the same time.

DOES THE CHILD HAVE TO ACCOMPANY THE PARENT TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION?

Generally, a child under age 14 may not need to accompany the parent to the Consulate General for the application. However, the child (regardless of age) must appear in person when:

• Requested by the Consular Officer; OR
• A passport application for the child is submitted together with the Consular Report of Birth Abroad application; OR
• The child (under age 18) is subject to a court custody order.
  

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED WITH THE CONSULAR REPORT OF BIRTH ABROAD APPLICATION

1. The child's birth certificate

Certified copy of the child's birth certificate issued by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, stating the child's full names, date and place of birth, parents' information, filing and issue dates. The certificate must bear the Registry's seal and signature of the official. An Extract of Birth, hospital records, baptismal certificate or the Papua New Guinean Commemorative Birth Certificate are not acceptable.

If the child's name has been changed after the birth being filed at the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, you must submit the legal document in support of the change (e.g. adoption decree, Deed Poll etc).

2. The U.S. citizen parent(s)' valid passport(s)

If the passport has expired before the child's birth, further evidence may be required to establish that the parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child's birth.

If the parent(s) acquired U.S. citizenship by naturalization or birth abroad to U.S. citizen parent(s), you must also submit a Certificate of Naturalization or Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certificate of Citizenship (whichever applicable).

3. Parents' marriage certificate

The parents' marriage certificate must show the names of the persons being married, the date and place of the marriage performed, filing date and bear the official seal of the state authority (e.g. county clerk, Health Department, Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages). Certificates signed and issued by marriage celebrants are not acceptable.

4. Parents' previous marriages and evidence of termination (if applicable)

Documentary evidence of termination of any previous marriage(s) of parents, such as divorce decree, death certificate etc.

5. Physical presence in United States of U.S. citizen parent(s) prior to the child's birth

Evidence of period(s) of physical presence (not residence) in the United States may include but is not limited to: school transcripts, employment records, income tax returns, Wage and Tax Statements (W2), military records, old passports etc. If you have other children who have been issued with a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) previously, please submit it with this child's application. Please refer to the categories listed below to determine the required periods of physical presence you need to submit with your application:

A. Child born to both U.S. citizen parents :

Evidence of one parent's residence in the United States any period before the child's birth.

B. Child born to one U.S. citizen parent on or after November 14, 1986, at 2:07pm Eastern Standard Time :

Evidence of period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after U.S. citizen parent attaining the age of fourteen.

If child was conceived or born out of wedlock to U.S. citizen father and non-U.S. citizen mother, additional documented evidence is required.

C. Child born out of wedlock to U.S. citizen mother and non-U.S. citizen father:

Evidence of the mother's one continuous year of physical presence any time prior to the child's birth.

Note: Periods of service of the U.S. citizen parent in the U.S. Military Forces and U.S. government agencies outside the United States may be counted in computing such physical presence.

Certain applications may require additional documents/evidence and processing time.

6. Fee

Click here for current fees.
NOTE: All fees are subject to change without notice.

7. Return of your passport and documents

If you do not wish to collect the issued Consular Report of Birth, please enclose an A4 size (not smaller than 9 inches by 12 inches), pre-paid, self-addressed envelope (Registered Post or Express Post Platinum is recommended) for return of your documents.

PROCESSING TIME

Processing time varies. If your child was NOT born in P.N.G, the application will be forwarded to the appropriate Officials for process and issuance. Extra time will be required (which may take weeks) for the return of the Consular Report of Birth Abroad from the Embassy.

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