To submit your Consular Report of Birth (CRBA) application, you are required to have an appointment. To make an appointment, please visit the U.S. Citizens Services Appointment System.
Most children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent, or parents, acquire U.S. citizenship at birth. As soon as possible after the birth, the U.S. citizen parent should make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy to apply for the child’s:
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
- U.S. passport
- Social Security number
A 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 (INA). This document is recognized in the United States as proof of acquisition of U.S. citizenship, and it is acceptable evidence of citizenship for obtaining a passport, entering school, and most other purposes. Failure to document a child promptly as a U.S. citizen may cause hardship for the parents or child later on when attempting to obtain a passport or register for school.
Note: Anyone who has a claim to U.S. citizenship must be in possession of a valid U.S. passport to enter and exit the United States, even if they have citizenship of another country, as well.
An application for a CRBA and a minor’s passport must be made, in person. Both parents and the child must come to the appointment at the Embassy.
Note: US Embassy Paramaribo can approve or deny CRBA applications only for children born in Suriname and French Guiana. If a child was born in another country, we can only collect the application and supporting documents and forward them to the U.S. Embassy in that country for adjudication. This usually adds 6-12 months to the processing time of the CRBA.
Processing for the CRBA and the passport normally takes seven to ten workdays.
FEES: There is a US$100 fee for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a US$105 fee for the passport application for a total of US$205. It must be paid in cash in Surinamese currency or U.S. dollars.
Obtaining a replacement or additional copies of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad
The Embassy does not retain completed CRBA files. Rather, these are forwarded to the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Replacement or additional copies of the CRBA must be requested from the Department of State. Additional information including fees and request requirements is available on the Department website.
