A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is evidence of United States citizenship, 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.
Most, but not all, children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent, are eligible to be documented as U.S. citizens through issuance of a CRBA and U.S. passport.
Parents of a newborn U.S. citizen child should apply for a CRBA at the nearest Consular Section at their earliest convenience. Instructions on making an appointment are provided below.
Apply for CRBA
Now you can apply for CRBA online (eCRBA) then book an appointment after submitting your application.
Application Requirements
The application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad should be completed online by the parent. Please print your application upon completion and bring the required documents, listed below. We require originals for all documentation – these should either be in the English language, or be accompanied by a certified English-language translation if they are in another language.
- Child’s Birth Certificate If the child is also a Saudi citizen, please provide the birth certificate issued by the Saudi Ministry of Interior. If the child is not also a Saudi citizen, please provide the birth certificate issued by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, Civil Affairs Office. (Note: The child’s hospital birth certificate is not acceptable.)
- Evidence of American Citizenship of the Parent(s) US Passport(s), Naturalization Certificate(s), and/or US Birth Certificate(s)
- Both Parents’ Photo Identification Valid, government-issued form of identification in English (such as U.S or foreign passport or U.S. driver’s license).
- Parents’ official marriage certificate Note: Religious marriage records are not acceptable
- If applicable, proof of termination of previous marriages Divorce Decree, Death Certificate
- $100 (SAR 380) application fee payable by cash (U.S. dollars or Saudi Arabian Riyals) or by U.S. credit card. The Consular Section cannot accept checks.
- Out of Wedlock: In the case of a child born out of wedlock, the U.S. citizen father must complete the acknowledgement of paternity and agreement to provide financial support.
- For children born to one U.S. citizen and one foreign national, the U.S. citizen parent should provide evidence that s/he has been physically present in the United States for at least five years prior to the child’s birth, two of which must have been over the age of 14. Examples of such evidence are: school transcripts, income tax returns with Form W-2, Social Security earnings history, pay receipts, passport entry/exit stamps in current and previous passports, etc.
- Parents and child must appear in person for the appointment.
- Please bring all original documents with you; they will be returned immediately after the appointment.
If you wish to apply for a US passport for your child at the same time as the CRBA, please also bring:
- Form DS-11 “Application for a U.S. Passport” (complete but do not sign)
- 2 inch x 2 inch (5 cm x 5 cm) passport photo of child
- Fees of $115 (SAR 437), payable by cash (U.S. dollars or Saudi Arabian Riyals) or by U.S. credit card. The Consular Section cannot accept checks.
If you wish to replace or amend a CRBA that has already been issued, click here.
Third Party Attendance at Passport and CRBA Appointment Interviews
Generally, immediate family members may accompany passport or CRBA applicants to their appointment interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and all minor children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Passport or CRBA applicants also have the option of being accompanied by an attorney at their appointment interview. Attendance by any third party, including an attorney, accompanying an applicant is subject to the following parameters designed to ensure an orderly appointment interview process and to maintain the integrity of the adjudication of the application(s):
- Given space limitations in the consular section, not more than one attendee at a time will be allowed to accompany an applicant (or the applicant’s parent or guardian if the applicant is a minor).
- Attendance by an attorney does not excuse the applicant and/or the minor applicant’s parent or guardian from attending the appointment interview in person.
- The manner in which a passport or CRBA appointment interview is conducted, and the scope and nature of the inquiry, shall at all times be at the discretion of the consular officer, following applicable Departmental guidance.
- It is expected that attorneys will provide their clients with relevant legal advice prior to, rather than at, the appointment interview, and will advise their clients prior to the appointment interview that the client will participate in the appointment interview with minimal assistance.
- Attorneys may not engage in any form of legal argumentation during the appointment interview and before the consular officer.
- Attendees other than a parent or guardian accompanying a minor child may not answer a consular officer’s question on behalf or in lieu of an applicant, nor may they summarize, correct, or attempt to clarify an applicant’s response, or interrupt or interfere with an applicant’s responses to a consular officer’s questions.
- To the extent that an applicant does not understand a question, s/he should seek clarification from the consular officer directly.
- The consular officer has sole discretion to determine the appropriate language(s) for communication with the applicant, based on the facility of both officer and applicant and the manner and form that best facilitate communication between the consular officer and the applicant. Attendees may not demand that communications take place in a particular language solely for the benefit of the attendee. Nor may attendees object to or insist on the participation of an interpreter in the appointment interview, to the qualifications of any interpreter, or to the manner or substance of any translation.
- No attendee may coach or instruct applicants as to how to answer a consular officer’s question.
- Attendees may not object to a consular officer’s question on any ground (including that the attendee regards the question to be inappropriate, irrelevant, or adversarial), or instruct the applicant not to answer a consular officer’s question. Attendees may not interfere in any manner with the consular officer’s ability to conduct all inquiries and fact-finding necessary to exercise his or her responsibilities to adjudicate the application.
- During a passport or CRBA appointment interview, attendees may not discuss or inquire about other applications.
- Attendees may take written notes, but may not otherwise record the appointment interviews.
- Attendees may not engage in any other conduct that materially disrupts the appointment interview. For example, they may not yell at or otherwise attempt to intimidate or abuse a consular officer or staff, and they may not engage in any conduct that threatens U.S. national security or the security of the embassy or its personnel. Attendees must follow all security policies of the Department of State and the U.S. embassy or consulate where the appointment interview takes place.
Attendees may not engage in any conduct that violates this policy and/or otherwise materially disrupts the appointment interview. Failure to observe these parameters will result in a warning to the attendee and, if ignored, the attendee may be asked to leave the appointment interview and/or the premises, as appropriate. It would then be the applicant’s choice whether to continue the appointment interview without the attendee present, subject to the consular officer’s discretion to terminate the appointment interview. The safety and privacy of all applicants awaiting consular services, as well as of consular and embassy personnel, is of paramount consideration.
Transmitting Citizenship
Transmission of U.S. citizenship depends on:
- At least one parent having the nationality of the United States at the time of the child’s birth;
- The existence of a blood relationship between the child and U.S. citizen parent(s);
- Documentary evidence demonstrating the U.S. citizen parent(s)’ presence in the United States prior to the child’s birth, as specified in the Transmission Requirements Table below.
Examples of Documentation
Some examples of documentary evidence which may be considered to demonstrate that physical presence requirements have been met may include (but are not limited to):
- Wage and tax statements (W-2)
- Academic transcripts
- Employment records
- Rental receipts
- Records of honorable U.S. military service, employment with U.S. Government or certain intergovernmental international organizations; or as a dependent, unmarried child and member of the household of a parent in such service or employment (except where indicated).
- U.S. passport stamps may be considered a part of the evidence submitted, but should not be the sole documentary evidence. Drivers’ licenses do not constitute evidence of physical presence.
If you have other children who have been issued with a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, this may be considered as supplemental evidence. Please also read important information regarding Supporting Documents.