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. The official record will be the Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Form FS-240, which is a basic United States citizenship document, issued to a child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Although applications are accepted up until the child’s 18th birthday, you should apply for your child’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad as soon after his/her birth as is practical. Applications submitted years after the child’s birth may take significant time to resolve because evidence to prove the child’s citizenship may be difficult to obtain.
Also, a determination of acquisition of U.S. citizenship must be made before the child can obtain a U.S. passport. Anyone who has U.S. citizenship or a claim to U.S. citizenship must be in possession of a valid U.S passport to enter and exit the United States, even if they have citizenship of another country, as well.
For applicants older than age 18 who have never been issued a CRBA, please refer to Possible Derivative Claim to U.S. Citizenship (PDF, 3,300 Kb). Anyone who has a claim to U.S. citizenship must be in possession of a valid U.S passport to enter and exit the United States, even if they have citizenship of another country, as well.
Please download and complete the application forms and verify what documents you must bring with you to your appointment. Failure to bring your completed forms and the required documentation, or submission of forms with incomplete or incorrect information, may result in your appointment being delayed or rescheduled. DO NOT SIGN the forms.
The child must be present at the Embassy when the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad is filled.
Please note: If your child was born outside of our Consular district (Romania), we must forward your application and supporting documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where your child was born. For a list of required documents, please check the webpage for the Embassy or Consulate in the country where your child was born and navigate to the U.S. Citizen Services section.
Forms and documents required to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad:
- Completed “Application for Consular Report of Birth” – Form DS-2029 (PDF 345 KB). This form can be filled out and submitted by either parent.
- The name of the applicant should match their birth document(s). Any material changes to the applicant’s name must be supported by an amended birth certificate or other name change evidence.
- List the periods of physical presence in the U.S. in exact detail (name of city, from day-month-year to day-month-year), as visitor, LPR or U.S. citizen (see a sample on page 5 of this list). Check your passport and other records like banking records, travel itineraries and receipts to help you determine your dates of travel. Vacation trips abroad, schooling in foreign countries, or any other brief absences cannot be counted as physical presence in the U.S. Please fill out the information as thoroughly and accurately as you can. Incomplete or incorrect applications will delay your appointment and may require that you take a new appointment at a later date to submit the complete application. For an example of a completed Application, please click on DS-2029 Sample. The application must be signed by the applying parent in the presence of a Consular officer (or a U.S. notary public, if both parents are in the U.S.).
- Affidavit of Parentage, physical presence and support – Form DS-5507 (PDF 1,567 KB): Must be completed by the U.S. citizen father when the child is born out of wedlock and the mother is not a U.S. citizen. It requires the U.S. citizen father to acknowledge that the child is his, and to state, as specifically as possible, the father’s periods of physical presence in the United States. Extra sheets may be attached as necessary. The document must be signed in front of a U.S. consular officer or a U.S. notary public.
- Child’s Romanian Birth Certificate issued by the Vital Records office (Starea civila) where the birth was registered containing the child’s full name, date and place of birth, names of parents and the date and place of birth registration. If the child was not born in Romania, you must bring the child’s foreign birth certificate and all the required documents listed on the website of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where your child was born. We will forward your application to the U.S. Embassy in that country for processing. Please note that in this case the issuance of the document can take a few months. The name of the applicant should match their birth document(s). Any material changes to the applicant’s name must be supported by an amended birth certificate or other name change evidence.
- Proof of parents’ marriage: If the child’s parents are married, the consular officer will also request the original marriage certificate. If either parent has been married previously, the consular officer will request evidence that any previous marriages were terminated, such as a certified divorce decree or death certificate. The marriage certificate must be an original document issued by local, state, or national government authorities. If your marriage certificate is in a language other than Romanian or English, the original certificate must be presented along with a certified English translation (original certificate and one photocopy).
- Proof of termination of prior marriages for both parents, if applicable, such as original divorce decree, dissolution of marriage or death certificate. Please bring certified translations, if the documents are issued in a language other than English or Romanian.
- Evidence of parent’s US citizenship: The U.S. citizen parent must present his/her U.S. passport. If the U.S. citizen parent was naturalized he/she must bring the original Certificate of Naturalization in addition to the passport.
- Evidence of physical presence: The U.S. citizen parent needs to bring proof of physical presence in the United States for a period of time required by law. To check the physical presence requirements for transmission, please review the Citizenship transmission requirements listed below. Primary evidence documents that may establish your physical presence in the U.S. before the child’s birth include: transcripts from high school and/or college, wage statements, DD214 Separation statement (military members only). Secondary evidence include: credit card bills, utility bills, tax forms, airline ticket stubs, former/current passport with stamps.
- Proof of parents’ identity for a non-U.S. citizen parent: A non-U.S. citizen parent must bring his/her passport or other government issued photo-ID, such as a national identity card (“carte de identitate”).
- Proof of paternity/maternity: In cases in which paternity or maternity is in question, the consular officer may request additional proof. Sometimes this proof may take the form of family photographs, baptism records, or other documents. In other cases, DNA testing may be suggested. If DNA testing is required, the test has to be performed under specific guidelines. Please Note: In the event that paternity is not confirmed, ACS Bucharest is not able to refund the fees paid for Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
- Records of Pregnancy: If available, records of the mother’s pregnancy. For example, sonograms, doctor’s certificates, photographs of mother during pregnancy and photographs from the hospital. If any method of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) was used to facilitate the child’s conception, appropriate medical records or medical documentation to establish the biological/genetic relationship between the child and at least one parent.
- Additional evidence: The consular officer, in his/her discretion, may request additional documents or other evidence as necessary. You will be advised at the time of application if such evidence is required in your case.
- Completed Passport Application – Form DS-11 (PDF 104 KB) – if applying for a U.S. passport at the same time: While you are not required to apply for your child’s passport at the same time that you apply for his/her Consular Report of Birth Abroad, you are encouraged to do so. Please do not sign the application until the consular officer interviews you.
- If you decide to apply at another time, both parents and the child may have to appear at the Embassy again. For children under age 16, the presence of the child and both parents is required at the time of application. Unequivocal consent to passport issuance is demonstrated by the parents signing the application form in front of a Consular Officer. If there are special circumstances and both parents cannot submit the application together, for example if one parent is not present in country, the absent parent’s English language, notarized Statement of Consent, Form DS-3053, not older than 90 days, must be submitted. If a parent has sole custody, an original or court certified copy of the custody order granting sole custody must be submitted with the application. If one parent is deceased, the death certificate should be submitted.
- The name of the applicant should match their birth document(s). Any material changes to the applicant’s name must be supported by an amended birth certificate or other name change evidence.
- Application Fee: The 100$ application fee can be paid at the Consular Section Cashier when the application is submitted. If you also request a U.S. passport for the child, the 135$ passport fee must be paid when the application is submitted. Both fees are non-refundable. We accept cash payments in US dollars or Romanian lei. We cannot accept checks, but we do accept credit cards. You may pay using your VISA, Mastercard, Discover, Diners Club or American Express card. Please be advised that due to intermittent network connection issues we are sometimes unable to process credit card payments. There are no ATMs on site. To avoid potential delays in service, we encourage you to bring sufficient cash with you in the event that we are unable to process your payment via credit card.
- One passport photograph: No photo is required for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad however, if you decide to apply for your child’s passport, you must submit a passport photograph of the child, measuring 5×5 cm (2×2 inches) and with a white background: see our Photo requirements.
If you do not bring the required documentation, we will suspend processing of the application and you will need to schedule another appointment.
To schedule an appointment for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, with or without a U.S. passport application, please send us an email at ACSBucharest@state.gov with a copy of the completed DS-2029 application form and copies of the documents you can present with your application.
There are two lines to enter the U.S. Embassy: one line is strictly for visa applicants; the other line is for American Citizen Service (ACS) customers and other visitors to the Embassy, and usually requires no waiting. Upon arrival at the Embassy for their appointment, U.S. citizens should go directly to the entrance – do not stand in the visa application line. Show your U.S. passport or other type of photo ID and your appointment confirmation sheet (if you were able to print it) to the local security guards. You will go through a security screening process before entering the Embassy grounds. Look for directions for ACS customers to enter the consular waiting room. Once inside the waiting room, take a number from the Qmatic “ACS” button and proceed toward window 14.
