Birth Abroad
Reporting of Birth Abroad
In order to provide better customer service to our smallest clients, all applications for Consular Report of Births Abroad (CRBA) will be made via special family appointment. The Report of Birth, Passport and Social Security Number application will all be taken care of in one-stop. You may obtain information on the CRBA application process, learn about the documents required, and make an appointment by phoning the American Citizen Services section at (51-1) 434-3000. In order to reduce the time the baby must wait, all paperwork should be completed before the appointment time. Please also bring photos of the required size for the child’s first passport
The birth of a child abroad to U.S. citizen parent(s) should be reported as soon as possible to the nearest American consular office for the purpose of establishing an official record of the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record is in the form of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America. This document, referred to as the Consular Report of Birth or FS-240, is considered a basic United States citizenship document. An original FS-240 is furnished to the parent(s) at the time the registration is approved.
Transmission of Nationality
Birth to One U.S. Citizen and One Alien Parent
A U.S. citizen parent may transmit citizenship if s/he has been physically present in the United States for a certain amount of time prior to the child’s birth. For children born on or after November 14, 1986, the citizen parent must prove that s/he was physically present in the U.S. for five years, two of which were after age 14. It is important to recognize that the burden of proof is on the applicant. Physical presence may be proven by presenting a combination of records such as school transcripts, old and current passports, etc., to show that the physical presence requirement has been met.
Birth to Two U.S. Citizen Parents
A child born to two U.S. citizen parents abroad acquires citizenship at birth, so long as either parent has a residence in the United States or its possessions sometime before the birth. There is no specifically required length of physical presence.
Reporting the Birth
A Consular Report of Birth can be prepared only at an American consular office overseas while the child is under the age of 18. The fee for the Consular Report of Birth is $65. Usually, in order to establish the child’s citizenship under the appropriate provisions of U.S. law, the following documents MUST be submitted:
- An official record of the child’s foreign birth (the foreign birth certificate);
- Evidence of the parent(s)’ U.S. citizenship (e.g., a certified birth certificate, current U.S. passport, or Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship);
- Evidence of the parents’ marital status; and
- Affidavits and evidence of parent(s)’ residence and physical presence in the United States.
In certain cases, it may be necessary to submit additional documents, including affidavits of paternity and support, additional evidence of physical presence, divorce decrees from prior marriages, or medical reports of blood compatibility. All evidentiary documents should be certified as true copies of the originals by the registrar of the office wherein each document was issued.
For more information, visit the Department of State’s website on Consular Reports of Birth and also click here for more information.
Obtaining a Passport for a Child Born Abroad
A child born abroad of one or two U.S. citizen parents, and who meets the documentary requirements outlined above, may also be issued a United States passport. Many parents apply for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a U.S. passport for their child at the same time. The passport requirements for children under the age of 16 are listed on the “Passports” page.
Additional detailed information about citizenship matters is also available from the Department of State’s Citizenship and Nationality webpage.
The Consular Section in at the American Embassy in Lima is open for passport and registration services from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, with the exception of U.S. and Peruvian holidays.