Consular Report of Birth Abroad
The U.S. Consulate General Guadalajara strongly encourages all U.S. citizens who have children born in Mexico to register them as U.S. citizens as soon as possible after birth. Upon registration, the child will be issued a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (CRBA), which is an official record confirming that the child acquired U.S. citizenship at birth. A CRBA can be issued only at an American Consular Office overseas, and only before the child reaches 18 years of age.
Parents seeking to obtain a CRBA for a child must be able to demonstrate to the interviewing consular officer that:
At least one of the parents is a U.S. citizen;
The child is the biological child of the U.S. citizen parent(s); and
If only one of the parents is a U.S. citizen, the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the United States prior to the birth of the child; if both parents are U.S. citizens, at least one of them must have resided in the United States prior to the child’s birth. The period of physical presence in the United States required to transmit citizenship to a child born abroad varies, depending on the date of birth of the child and the marital status of the parents.
In preparation for your appointment, please download application form DS-2029 and the Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence (main page, supplementary page) which you can fill out on the computer and then print.
In addition to the application form, the parent(s) must provide:
- Original or Certified Copy of the Mexican Birth Certificate, a provisional copy cannot be accepted.
- Proof of Parent’s Citizenship: Please show one of the following documents for one or both parents: US Passport (valid or expired); original U.S. birth certificate; or original Certificate of Naturalization.
- Proof of Both Parents' Identity: Driver’s license, State ID card, School ID, Mexican Voting Card, Passport.
- If only the child’s father is a US citizen, proof of parents’ relationship: If parents were married prior to the date of conception, please provide an original or certified copy of the marriage certificate and divorce decree from previous marriages (if applicable). If parents were not married at the time of conception, please provide proof of the existence of the relationship at that time (personal letters and cards, dated photographs, telephone bills, Western Union receipts).
- Prenatal Documents: ultrasounds, prescriptions, and medical records.
- Documents from hospital where the applicant was born: identification bracelet, crib card, discharge orders, hospital bill.
- Photos of Pregnancy and from Hospital: Photos taken of mother during pregnancy and in the hospital before and after the birth.
- Photos of the applicant from birth to present.
- Proof of parents’ presence in Mexico: INM tourist card, FM-2, FM-3, Mexican passport.
- If only one parent is a US citizen, proof of physical presence in the US: The parent must prove at least 5 years of physical presence in the US, at least 2 of which are after the age of 14. The period of physical presence need not be continuous. Presence must be proven with concrete evidence (official school transcripts, tax forms 1040s with W-2, social security earnings statement, pay receipts, passport stamps). Please note that if the child was born before Nov. 14, 1986, the parent must prove 10 years physical presence, at least 5 after the age of 14. You are encouraged to consult with a consular officer to discuss the requirements and the required documentary evidence.
In certain cases, documents in addition to those listed herein may be required. |
The application and physical presence statement may be picked up in person, downloaded, or they may be e-mailed upon request. Completing the forms prior to the scheduled appointment will speed up processing of the application.
The application fee for a CRBA is $65 USD. We encourage you to apply for the child’s passport at the same time as you apply for the CRBA, as a passport is required for all travel to the United States. Please follow this link for passport requirements for minors as well as associated passport fees.
Additional information is available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov/family/issues_birth.html or by e-mailing babygdl@state.gov.
Scheduling CRBA Appointments
Applications for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad are currently accepted on a walk-in basis Monday through Thursday from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Effective Monday, April 7, 2008, the American Citizen Services section of the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara will offer appointments for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Appointments will be required effective May 2, 2008. Applicants with appointment confirmations may proceed directly to the Consulate’s public entrance for security screening. They will not be required to wait in line.
Appointments for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) can be scheduled on-line here.
