Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) Apostille
Federal authentication of your Form FS-240 Consular Report of Birth Abroad through the U.S. Department of State — for use in any country worldwide.
Hand-delivered submission in Washington, D.C. Pre-submission review by federal-document specialists. Embassy legalization handled in-house for non-Hague countries.
What Is a Consular Report of Birth Abroad?
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) — issued on Form FS-240 — is an official federal record produced by the U.S. Department of State through American embassies and consulates around the world. It documents the birth of a child born outside the United States to one or more U.S. citizen parents who meet the citizenship transmission requirements of U.S. law at the time of the birth.
A properly issued CRBA establishes that the child acquired U.S. citizenship at birth, and it is treated as a federal diplomatic record — distinct from any birth certificate issued by the country where the child was actually born.
A standard CRBA contains the following information:
- Document title: "Consular Report of Birth of a Citizen of the United States of America" (Form FS-240)
- Full legal name of the child
- Date and place of birth abroad (city and country)
- Sex of the child
- Names of both parents and their U.S. citizenship status at the time of the child's birth
- Issuing U.S. embassy or consulate and the date the CRBA was registered
- Official Department of State seal (embossed or printed)
- Signature of the consular officer who reviewed and approved the application
- Department of State certification language
The CRBA is most commonly issued before the child's 18th birthday, but in some cases late or amended CRBAs may be issued upon application.
What It Is Used For Internationally
Because the CRBA establishes both the child's birth facts and U.S. citizenship status, foreign governments treat it as the equivalent of a U.S. birth certificate for individuals born abroad. A federally authenticated CRBA is commonly required for:
- Recognition of U.S. citizenship by a foreign government — particularly when the child also holds or seeks citizenship in the country of birth or a parent's country of origin.
- Foreign passport or nationality registration — establishing identity and birth facts to obtain a passport from another country (Italy, Mexico, Ireland, Israel, Germany, Brazil, Philippines, and others).
- Civil registry filings outside the United States — registering a U.S. citizen child in a foreign vital records system.
- Dual citizenship applications — claiming citizenship through ancestry, descent, or jus sanguinis rules in a foreign country.
- School and university enrollment abroad — proving identity and citizenship for foreign academic admission.
- Immigration and residency filings — applying for foreign long-term residency or family-based immigration.
- Inheritance and family law matters — establishing parentage, citizenship, and birth facts for international estate proceedings.
- Marriage and adoption proceedings abroad — establishing identity and U.S. citizenship for civil registry filings.
- Government and legal filings outside the U.S. — court matters, tax filings, and benefits applications.
Foreign authorities require federal authentication because they cannot independently verify that a CRBA is a legitimate U.S. government document.
CRBA vs. Foreign Birth Certificate — Don't Confuse Them
One of the most common points of confusion: a child born abroad to U.S. citizen parents typically has two distinct birth records, and each is authenticated through a different process.
| Document | Issued By | What It Proves | How It's Authenticated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) — Form FS-240 | U.S. Department of State (via U.S. embassy or consulate abroad) | U.S. citizenship from birth + birth facts | Federal apostille / authentication by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C. |
| Foreign Birth Certificate | The civil registry of the country where the child was born | The fact and circumstances of the birth in that country | Apostilled or legalized in the country of birth — through that country's apostille authority, then translated and submitted to the U.S. or destination country as needed. |
For U.S. or international filings, you may need both documents authenticated separately — the CRBA through the U.S. Department of State, and the foreign birth certificate through the foreign government that issued it. We handle the U.S. side; for foreign apostilles, you'll need to work with that country's apostille authority.
Originals Cannot Be Apostilled
This is one of the most common — and most disruptive — mistakes families make. The Department of State expressly prohibits attaching apostille certificates to original CRBAs. Submitting an original will result in:
- Automatic rejection by the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications
- Return of the document without authentication
- No refund of processing fees in many cases
- Significant delay in obtaining the apostille
The restriction exists because:
- Originals are irreplaceable federal vital records — replacement requires a new vital records request and weeks to months of processing.
- Federal regulations prohibit permanent alteration of original Department of State vital records, including affixing additional seals or attachments.
- Apostille certificates must be affixed to certified copies only — never to the original.
Federal apostille processing requires a Department of State–issued certified copy of the CRBA. The next section explains how to obtain one.
How to Obtain a Certified Copy of a CRBA
The U.S. Department of State, Vital Records Section is the only authority that can issue a certified copy of a CRBA acceptable for federal authentication.
Where to Request
Requests are processed through the Department of State's Vital Records Section, which issues certified copies of CRBAs for individuals born abroad to U.S. citizen parents.
What to Submit
- Completed vital records request form
- Proof of identity of the requestor (the registrant or an authorized parent/guardian)
- Notarized statement when required (for third-party requests)
- Applicable Department of State fees (subject to change — verify current fees on travel.state.gov)
Processing Time
Routine requests currently take 6 to 8 weeks. Expedited service is available for an additional fee and reduces turnaround substantially.
Acceptable Certified Copies Must:
- Be issued directly by the Department of State, Vital Records Section
- Include official Department of State certification language
- Display the authorized registrar's signature
- Show an embossed or printed Department of State seal
- Be printed on official security paper
Why Federal Authentication Is Required
Apostille and authentication authority in the United States is divided between state Secretaries of State and the U.S. Department of State based on the issuing authority of the document.
| Issuing Authority | Examples | Where Authenticated |
|---|---|---|
| State or local government | State birth certificates, marriage licenses, notarized affidavits, state-licensed professional records | Secretary of State of the issuing state |
| Federal government | Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Department of State), Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS), Certificate of Citizenship, FBI Identity History Summary, IRS letters, Social Security Administration verifications, federal court documents, DD-214 military records | U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — Washington, D.C. |
Because the CRBA is issued by U.S. consular officers acting under federal authority, it cannot be apostilled at the state level. State authorities have no jurisdiction to authenticate federal documents, and any state apostille placed on a CRBA is invalid and will be rejected by the receiving foreign government.
Federal authentication is required to:
- Verify that the document was issued by a legitimate U.S. federal authority
- Confirm the authenticity of the consular officer's signature and Department of State seal
- Enable formal recognition by foreign governments under international law
travel.state.gov — Authenticate Your Document
Document Preparation Requirements
To be eligible for federal authentication, the certified copy of the CRBA must meet all federal submission standards. Even minor deviations can cause rejection.
Acceptable Formats
- Department of State–issued certified copy of Form FS-240 obtained through the Vital Records Section.
- Form DS-1350 (legacy) — historically issued, still accepted when properly certified, though no longer issued for new requests.
- Must bear the official Department of State certification statement and an inked or embossed federal seal.
- Must include the authorized signature of a Department of State officer.
Strict Preparation Rules
- Submit the document exactly as issued by the Department of State — no edits, modifications, or additions.
- Do not submit the original FS-240 — it will be rejected and returned unprocessed.
- Do not notarize the document. Notarization automatically invalidates a federal record.
- Do not laminate the document. Lamination obstructs the federal seal and prevents apostille attachment.
- Do not staple, hole-punch, fold across the seal, or otherwise alter the document.
- Do not write on, highlight, or annotate any portion of the certified copy.
- Photocopies, scans, or reprints of the certified copy are not acceptable.
Step-by-Step Apostille Process
Request Certified Copy from Department of State
Submit a vital records request to the Department of State's Vital Records Section to receive a certified copy of the CRBA. Original FS-240 forms cannot be apostilled.
Order & Document Review
Submit your order online and send us the Department of State–certified copy. Our team verifies the document is in proper form before any submission for authentication.
Department of State Submission
We hand-deliver your document to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C., along with the federal authentication request form (DS-4194) and the appropriate federal fee.
Apostille or Authentication Issued
The Office of Authentications issues either an Apostille (Hague Convention countries) or an Authentication Certificate (non-Hague countries), affixed directly to your document.
Embassy Legalization (If Required)
For non-Hague countries, we forward the authenticated document to the destination country's embassy or consulate in Washington, D.C., for final legalization.
Certified Translation (Optional)
If your destination country requires the document in another language, we provide certified translations — commonly Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Arabic, Vietnamese, Chinese, and others.
How to Visually Confirm the Document Is Ready
Before submitting your certified copy of the CRBA for federal authentication, verify that all of the following are present and intact. (Refer to the sample image at the top of this page for what a properly issued certified copy looks like.)
- Clear document title — "Consular Report of Birth of a Citizen of the United States of America" or "Consular Report of Birth Abroad" with the FS-240 form designation
- Full child name and birth details (date, city, and country of birth)
- Issuing U.S. embassy or consulate clearly listed
- Department of State certification statement on the certified copy
- Authorized signature of the certifying officer (registrar or consular officer)
- Official Department of State seal — embossed or printed, unobstructed
- Printed on official Department of State security paper
- No alterations, marks, or handwritten notes
- No lamination, staples, binding, or attachments
- Clean margins with no trimming or cropping
Common Reasons CRBA Submissions Are Rejected
The Department of State and foreign governments routinely reject CRBA submissions for a small set of recurring issues. All are preventable.
1. Original FS-240 Submitted
The most common rejection. Original CRBAs cannot be apostilled. Fix: request a certified copy from the Department of State Vital Records Section before submitting for apostille.
2. Photocopy or Scan Submitted
Uncertified photocopies and scans are not valid federal records. Fix: only submit Department of State–issued certified copies.
3. Notarized Photocopy
A notary public has no authority to certify federal records. Notarized photocopies of a CRBA are invalid for federal authentication. Fix: obtain certification directly from the Department of State.
4. Laminated or Altered Document
Lamination obstructs the federal seal and prevents the apostille from being properly affixed. Fix: never laminate any Department of State document. If your certified copy is laminated or altered, request a replacement.
5. Missing or Illegible Certification
Faded seals, unclear signatures, or damaged certification language cause rejection. Fix: ensure the certified copy is clean, intact, and fully legible. Request a new copy if quality is compromised.
6. State-Level Apostille Attempted
State Secretaries of State have no authority over federal documents. Submissions routed to a state office are returned unprocessed. Fix: ensure submission goes to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications.
7. Wrong Country Routing
Hague apostille issued for a non-Hague destination — or vice versa — will be rejected by the foreign government. Fix: confirm the destination country's Hague Convention status before ordering.
Hague Convention vs. Non-Hague Countries
The final form of authentication depends on whether the destination country is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention:
| Destination Type | What You Receive | Additional Steps | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hague Convention country | Apostille issued by U.S. Department of State | None — document is ready for use abroad. | Mexico, Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia. |
| Non-Hague country | Authentication Certificate from U.S. Department of State | Embassy or consulate legalization required after authentication. | Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq. |
Hague Convention membership changes periodically. Federal Apostille and Notary Processing verifies the destination country's current status as part of every order. View our Country Guide for the latest list.
Processing Times & Validity
Total turnaround depends on three stages: the Department of State Vital Records Section issuing the certified copy, the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications processing the apostille, and (when required) embassy legalization.
- Department of State Vital Records request (routine): currently 6 to 8 weeks.
- Department of State Vital Records request (expedited): available for an additional fee — significantly faster turnaround.
- U.S. Department of State authentication: currently 10–12 business days for routine processing (subject to government workload — expedited service available through our office).
- Embassy legalization: varies widely by country — typically 3 business days to 4 weeks.
- Validity for foreign use: CRBAs generally do not expire, though some foreign authorities require recently authenticated copies (typically issued within the last 6–12 months). Confirm the destination country's specific requirement before ordering.
Use our Processing Time Estimator for a country-specific projection.
Why Choose Federal Apostille and Notary Processing
We are a Washington, D.C.-based document processing service specializing exclusively in federal authentications. CRBA apostilles are one of our most-requested services among U.S. families with children born abroad — particularly those pursuing dual citizenship recognition or registering U.S. citizen children in foreign civil registries.
- Hand-delivery to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — no mail delays.
- $120 flat-rate pricing with all government authentication fees included — no hidden costs.
- Pre-submission review by federal-document specialists who catch the most common rejection issues (original FS-240 submission, notarized copies, lamination) before they cost you time and money.
- Embassy legalization for non-Hague countries handled in-house in Washington, D.C.
- Certified translations in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, German, Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese, and other languages.
- Worldwide tracked shipping via FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
- Real-time order tracking from intake through delivery.
- Over 10 years of experience processing federal authentications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apostille my original Consular Report of Birth Abroad?
No. Original CRBAs (Form FS-240) cannot be apostilled or authenticated. The U.S. Department of State will reject any original submission. You must request a certified copy from the Department of State's Vital Records Section before federal authentication.
Is a CRBA the same as a foreign birth certificate?
No. A CRBA is a U.S. federal document issued by the U.S. Department of State documenting that a child born abroad is a U.S. citizen at birth. A foreign birth certificate is issued by the country where the child was born. Both documents may exist for the same child, but they have different legal purposes and are authenticated differently — the CRBA is apostilled by the U.S. Department of State, while the foreign birth certificate is apostilled by the issuing country's apostille authority.
Can a state Secretary of State apostille my CRBA?
No. The CRBA is a federal document issued by U.S. consular officers under federal authority. Only the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications can apostille or authenticate it. Any state apostille placed on a CRBA is invalid and will be rejected by foreign governments.
How do I order a certified copy of my CRBA?
Submit a vital records request to the U.S. Department of State, Vital Records Section through the official online request portal at travel.state.gov. Routine processing currently takes 6 to 8 weeks; expedited processing is available for an additional fee. The certified copy you receive can then be submitted for federal apostille.
What is Form DS-1350 and how is it different from FS-240?
Form FS-240 is the original Consular Report of Birth Abroad issued by the U.S. embassy or consulate at the time of registration. Form DS-1350 was a certified replacement document historically issued by the Department of State, but it has been discontinued for new requests. Today, the Department of State issues a certified copy of the original FS-240 instead. Existing DS-1350 documents are still accepted for federal authentication when properly certified.
How long does the entire process take from vital records request to apostille?
Routine vital records processing currently takes 6 to 8 weeks. Once the certified copy arrives, our Department of State authentication takes 10–12 business days. Embassy legalization, if needed, adds an additional 3 business days to 4 weeks. Total timelines typically run from 8 weeks to 4 months — plan ahead, especially for time-sensitive foreign government deadlines.
My child is now an adult. Can I still get the CRBA apostilled?
Yes. CRBAs do not expire, and an adult U.S. citizen with a CRBA can request a certified copy from the Department of State and have it apostilled at any time. This is common for adults born abroad who are now applying for dual citizenship through ancestry, foreign passport renewal, or international civil registry filings.
Can my CRBA be used to apply for citizenship in my country of birth or my parents' country of origin?
In many cases, yes — particularly for countries that recognize dual citizenship or that grant nationality through ancestry (Italy, Ireland, Germany, Mexico, Israel, Philippines, and others). The CRBA establishes both your birth facts and your U.S. citizenship status, which is often a required input for foreign nationality applications. Always confirm the specific requirement with the destination country's consulate.
Will I need a certified translation of the apostilled CRBA?
Many countries require a certified translation into the official language of the destination country — particularly for civil registry use, foreign passport applications, and dual citizenship filings. We offer certified translations alongside the apostille service so that everything is delivered ready-to-file.
I have both a CRBA and a foreign birth certificate. Do I need both apostilled?
It depends on what the receiving foreign authority requires. Some countries accept either document; others want both. The CRBA proves U.S. citizenship and birth facts to U.S. standards; the foreign birth certificate proves the same facts to the standards of the country of birth. We can apostille the CRBA on the U.S. side; the foreign birth certificate would need to be apostilled in the country that issued it.
Do I need to be in Washington, D.C. or visit your office in person?
No. We work with clients nationwide and internationally. You can submit your Department of State–certified copy by mail or courier, and we handle the in-person submission to the Department of State, Office of Authentications on your behalf.
Summary
The Consular Report of Birth Abroad is a high-sensitivity federal diplomatic record. Because it is issued by U.S. consular officers under federal authority, only the U.S. Department of State — never a state Secretary of State — can authenticate it for international use. Original FS-240 forms cannot be apostilled; a Department of State–issued certified copy is required.
Federal Apostille and Notary Processing handles every step — from document review through final embassy legalization — so that your CRBA is delivered abroad in legally recognized form for dual citizenship applications, foreign passport issuance, civil registry filings, and international family law matters.
Ready to Get Your CRBA Apostilled?
$120 flat rate. Hand-delivered to the U.S. Department of State. 10–12 business day turnaround. Available nationwide via our secure online portal or mail-in submission.
