Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is an official U.S. government record that documents the birth of a child born outside of the United States to one or more U.S. citizen parent(s) who meet U.S. citizenship transmission requirements at the time of birth.

A CRBA serves as proof of U.S. citizenship from birth and is treated as a federal diplomatic record. It is not a state birth certificate and is not issued by a U.S. state or county.

The CRBA is most commonly issued on Form FS-240.

What Is a CRBA Used For?

A federally authenticated CRBA is commonly required for:
    •    Recognition of U.S. citizenship by a foreign government

    •    Foreign passport or nationality registration

    •    Civil registry filings outside the United States

    •    School enrollment abroad

    •    Dual citizenship applications

    •    Immigration and residency filings

    •    Inheritance and family law matters

    •    Government and legal filings outside the U.S.

Foreign authorities typically require federal authentication or apostille to confirm the document’s legitimacy.

Where Does a CRBA Come From?

CRBAs are issued exclusively by the U.S. Department of State through:
    •    U.S. embassies

    •    U.S. consulates

    •    U.S. diplomatic missions abroad

They are never issued by U.S. states, counties, or vital records offices.
Official information from the Department of State: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/while-abroad/birth-abroad.html

Why Federal Authentication Is Required

CRBAs are federal records created by U.S. diplomatic officers. Because of this:
    •    State apostilles cannot be used

    •    County or Secretary of State certifications are invalid

    •    Only the U.S. Department of State – Office of Authentications may authenticate a CRBA

Federal authentication confirms:
    1.    The document was issued by a federal authority

    2.   The signature and seal are genuine

    3.    The document is eligible for international recognition

Destination country rules determine whether the document receives:
    •    A federal apostille (Hague Convention countries), or

    •    Federal authentication (non-Hague countries)

Official Office of Authentications page: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/records-and-authentications/authenticate-your-document.html

Original CRBAs vs. Certified Copies (Critical Requirement)

Originals  Cannot Be Apostilled or Authenticated. The U.S. Department of State does not authenticate original CRBAs. Submitting an original FS-240 will result in automatic rejection.

How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a CRBA

To be eligible for federal authentication, you must obtain a certified copy issued by the Department of State.

    •    Certified copies are requested through:

    •    U.S. Department of State
Vital Records Section

Official request instructions: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/records-and-authentications/requesting-a-vital-record.html

Acceptable Certified Copies Must:
    •    Be issued directly by the Department of State

    •    Include official certification language

    •    Display an authorized registrar’s signature

    •    Show an embossed or printed Department of State seal

    •    Be printed on official security paper

Photocopies, scans, or notarized copies are not acceptable.

What a CRBA Should Look Like

A CRBA certified copy that is ready for federal authentication will have:
    •    Clear document title (Consular Report of Birth Abroad / FS-240)

    •    Full child name and birth details

    •    Issuing U.S. embassy or consulate listed

    •    Certification statement from the Department of State

    •    Original signature of the certifying officer

    •    Official Department of State seal (embossed or printed)

    •    No alterations, marks, or handwritten notes

If any of these elements are missing or unclear, the document is likely to be rejected.

Common Reasons CRBA Submissions Are Rejected

Federal authentication requests are frequently rejected for the following reasons:

❌ Original Document Submitted
Original CRBAs cannot be authenticated.
How to avoid: Request a certified copy from the Department of State before submission.

❌ Photocopy or Scan Submitted
Uncertified copies are not valid federal records.
How to avoid: Only submit Department of State–issued certified copies.

❌ Laminated or Altered Document
Lamination prevents authentication and damages document integrity.
How to avoid:Never laminate or modify a CRBA.

❌ Missing or Illegible Certification
Faded seals, unclear signatures, or damaged pages are rejected.
How to avoid: Ensure the certified copy is clean, intact, and fully legible.

❌ State-Level Apostille Attempted
State authorities cannot authenticate federal records.

How to avoid:Route the document directly to the U.S. Department of State.

Hague vs. Non-Hague Country Considerations

    •    Hague Convention countries require a federal apostille

    •    Non-Hague countries require federal authentication and may require additional embassy or consulate legalization

Hague Convention reference list: https://www.hcch.net/en/instruments/conventions/status-table/?cid=41

Important Compliance Notes

    •    Processing times vary based on federal volume

    •    Destination country requirements can change without notice

    •    Some countries require translations after authentication

    •    Submitting an incorrect version resets processing time

Summary

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad is a federal diplomatic record that requires strict compliance before international use. Only Department of State–issued certified copies are eligible for federal authentication or apostille. Understanding preparation requirements in advance prevents delays, rejections, and resubmission costs.