If US Citizens give birth to a child while abroad, their child may be a US Citizen by birth. Please note, however, there are some exceptions to this. Additionally, special procedures need to be followed in order to have the US government recognize the child as a US Citizen by birth, and to be able to return to the US with the child. A child born to US parents abroad may be recognized as a US citizen through the issuance of a “Consular Report of Birth Abroad”. This report has the same legal effect of proving citizenship as a US passport or certificate of naturalization, and is issued on Form FS-240.
As the procedure may vary slightly depending on where the child was born, it is best to visit the consular website for the particular district. The consular website will most likely have a detailed description of what procedure that particular consulate follows.
Typically, one must first schedule an appointment at the consulate in the district of the country where the child was born. Please note that the Consulate may require that both parents are present at the interview. The Form, “Application for a Consular Report of a Birth,” must also be filled out. One will need to bring several types of documents with to the appointment, as required in the application. One should not sign the application; one will need to sign it in front of the consular officer. Additionally, if only one parent is a US citizen, the US citizen parent may be also be required to provide evidence of exact periods of physical presence in the US.
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