Consular Report of Birth Abroad

A child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents generally acquires U.S. citizenship at birth. The U.S. parent or parents should contact the Consular Section to have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (FS-240) issued. This document serves as proof of acquisition of U.S. citizenship and is acceptable evidence for obtaining a U.S. passport and for other purposes where one must show a birth certificate or proof of citizenship. Parents should apply for a Report of Birth should as soon as possible after the child's birth. It cannot be prepared if the child is 18 years of age or older.

Requirements to transmit U.S. citizenship to a child born outside the United States after November 14, 1986:

-  If both parents were U.S. citizens at the time of the birth, then the child is a U.S.   citizen if at least one parent previously spent at least one day in the United States.
- If one parent was a U.S. citizen and the other was an alien, and if the parents were married to each other at the time of the child's birth, then the U.S. citizen parent must have been physically present in the United States for a total of five years before the child's birth, two of which must have been after attaining 14 years of  age.
-  For children born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father, the father must have been physically present in the United States for a total of five years before the child's birth, two of which must have been after attaining 14 years of age, AND the father must formally acknowledge parentage and agree to support the child through age 18.
-  For children born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother, the mother must have been physically present in the United States for a continuous period of one year prior to the child's birth.
- Applicants must submit documentary evidence to prove the required physical presence in the United States.  Such evidence can include records from schools,  universities, or employers, or any other documents that prove the parent's physical presence in the United States.

To apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, the following documents are usually required:

(Documents in a foreign language must often be translated in English, except those in Slovene)

Fee: The fee for a Consular Report of Birth is US $ 65. The fee can be paid in cash, either in U.S. dollars or Euros.  Major credit cards are also accepted, i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Novus/Discover, Diners or purchasing cards displaying the Visa or MasterCard logo.

Please note: Presentation of originals or official copies of all documents is mandatory.  Certified true copies are not acceptable, unless they are certified by a State or County authority (not notary public or Military Personnel.) All original documents will be returned to you except the child's local birth certificate.

The Consular Section in Ljubljana may issue the Report of Birth only to children born in the consular district of Slovenia.

Please call for appointment at 01-200 5595. Both parents should come to the Consular section with their child to make application. If one parent is absent, a notarized affidavit must be submitted, allowing issuance of a CRBA.

DS-2029 (Application for Consular Report of Birth) and DS-2029 - Page 2 (Application for a SSN card). The forms should be filled out legibly and completely.

For information how to apply for the child's passport see Passports.  Both parents must appear and sign the child's passport application. If only one parent is present, a notarized statement is required from the other parent, allowing issuance of a U.S. passport to the child.

Replacement Documents available:
In order to obtain a replacement Report of Birth for a lost or mutilated document, please submit a notarized affidavit concerning the loss of the FS-240 with a written request including the fee to the address below. The affidavit must contain the name, date and place of birth of the subject and the whereabouts of the FS-240 and be signed by the subject, parent, or legal representative.

In order to obtain a replacement Report of Birth for a lost or mutilated document, please submit a notarized affidavit concerning the loss of the FS-240 with a written request including the fee to the address below. The affidavit must contain the name, date and place of birth of the subject and the whereabouts of the FS-240 and be signed by the subject, parent, or legal representative.

Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350)
If the birth was recorded in the form of a Consular Report of Birth, certified copies of Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350), which is a document based on the FS-240, can be issued in multiple copies. The DS-1350 is not issued overseas, and can only be obtained by writing to the address below.

How to obtain copies:
The DS-1350 or a replacement FS-240 can be obtained by writing to: CORRESPONDENCE BRANCH, PASSPORT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 1425 K STREET, N.W., ROOM 386, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20522-1705.

Application for a Certificate of Citizenship issued by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
A person who acquired citizenship of the United States through birth abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents but for whom an FS-240 was not completed, or a person who acquired U.S. citizenship by derivative naturalization, may apply for a Certificate of Citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Section 341 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Application for this document may be made in the United States nearest Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security. Upon satisfactory proof to the Service that the child acquired citizenship as claimed, a Certificate of Citizenship will be issued in the name of the child, but only if such person is within the United States. Certificates of Citizenship do not confer citizenship; they attest to the fact that the bearer established to the satisfaction of the Immigration and Naturalization Service that he or she has acquired U.S. citizenship as claimed. Obtaining such a certificate involves presentation of basically the same documentation that was required when a Consular Report of Birth was prepared. Under law, the Consular Report of Birth and the Certificate of Citizenship are equally acceptable as proof of citizenship.