Report Birth Abroad

REGISTERING THE BIRTH ABROAD OF A U.S. CITIZEN AND OBTAINING THE CHILD'S FIRST UNITED STATES PASSPORT

November 2009

U.S. citizen parent(s) should file a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CROBA) as soon as possible to register the child’s birth as a U.S. citizen and to obtain a first U.S. passport for the child.  The Consular Report of Birth Abroad usually serves in lieu of a local birth certificate in the United States.

What is a Consular Report of Birth Abroad?
The Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240), is a light blue certificate which resembles birth certificates issued by local jurisdictions in the United States.  Completed CROBA records are permanently on file at the Department of State.  Additional copies of a child's CROBA may be obtained for a fee of US$30.00 from: "Correspondence, Passport Services, Department of State, Suite 510, 1111 19th St, Washington, D.C. 20522-1705, USA."

PLEASE REQUEST APPOINTMENT BY INTERNET

Applications for CROBA and the child's first passport are by appointment only to ensure that parents are prepared for the interview and have all the necessary documents.  Please visit the following website to schedule an appointment: https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=PNM&appcode=1

PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE REQUIRED FORMS.  TO REQUEST FORMS, PLEASE E-MAIL THE AMERICAN CITIZENS SERVICES UNIT AT Panama-ACS@state.gov

What children born outside the United States acquire U.S. citizenship?
Children born outside of the U.S. or its outlying possessions acquire U.S. citizenship when (in ALL cases the U.S. citizen parent must have acquired his/her U.S. citizenship before his/her child’s birth):

-  the child’s parents are both U.S. citizens and at least one can show evidence that he or she resided in the United States or its outlying possessions prior to the child’s birth.

-  the child was born after 2:07 P.M.  EST, 14 November 1986 EST and one parent is a citizen and the other a non-U.S. citizen, if the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. prior to the child's birth, for a period of five years, at least two of which were after the age of 14 years.

-  the child was born prior to 2:07 P.M., 14 November 1986 EST, and the U.S.   
citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. prior to the child’s birth  for ten years, five years of which were after the age of 14.

-  the child was born to an unmarried U.S. citizen parent, under certain circumstances.

For Panama Only:

-  the child/person was born in the former Panama Canal Zone on or after February 26, 1904 and before October 1, 1979; father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States.

-  the child/person was born in the Republic of Panama on or after February 26, 1904; father or mother or both at the time of the birth of such person was or is a citizen of the United States employed by the Government of the United States.  (Please see “Evidence of U.S. Government Employment” below).

What do I need to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a U.S. passport? Children being registered as U.S. citizens must be brought to the Consular Section by their parents along with the following original documents:

• Completed Application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (Form DS-2029).
• Child’s Panamanian Birth Certificate – The COPIA INTEGRA (“complete” on legal size paper with revenue stamps) is obtained at the Panamanian Civil Registry.
• Evidence of Parent(s)’ U.S. Citizenship – This may be in the form of original U.S. birth certificates, U.S. passports, Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CROBA), Certificates of Citizenship, or Naturalization Certificates.  (Military IDs are NOT proof of U.S. citizenship.)
• Parents’ Marriage Certificate.
• Evidence of Dissolution of Previous Marriages – If either parent has been previously married, submit original divorce decrees or death certificates.
• Evidence of U.S. Government Employment – When applicable, the U.S. citizen parent should present evidence of U.S. Government employment at the time of the child’s birth and evidence of physical presence in Panama at the time of the child’s conception.  Such evidence should be a statement on letterhead from the employing U.S. Government agency with the dates of employment of the U.S. citizen parent.
• Parent(s)’ Completed Affidavit of U.S. Physical Presence.
  The physical presence in the U.S. of the U.S. citizen parent must be documented.   Evidence of physical presence in the U.S. may consist of school transcripts, income tax returns, employment and military service records, proof of U.S. Government service abroad, or evidence of time spent abroad as an unmarried dependent son or daughter, living in the same household, of a U.S. Government employee.
• Completed U.S. Passport Application (Form DS-11 at www.travel.state.gov).
• Two Photos of the Child (two identical pictures with light background, size 2”x2”)
• Completed Application for a Social Security Number (Form SS-5). 

The consular officer may request additional evidence for completion of your case.  If this is the case, you will be given 90 days to comply with the additional requirement.