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How to Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)

A child born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents may get U.S. citizenship at birth. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA, or Form FS-240) is a document that shows a child got U.S. citizenship at birth.

  • Report the birth of a child born abroad at a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas.
  • The U.S. embassy or consulate will issue you a CRBA.
  • Our office only issues replacement or amended CRBAs.
  • The Department does not issue CRBAs to naturalized U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. 

Who can replace or amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad:

  • The individual listed on the birth record (if age 18 or older)
  • A parent (for minors under age 18)
  • An authorized government agency, or
  • A person with written authorization from the individual listed on the birth record

ALL / ALL /

To replace or amend a CRBA, you must submit a:

1.  Notarized, completed Form DS-5542

  • Fill out the form on your computer
  • If you complete the form by hand, use black ink
  • Sign the form in front of a notary public

Amending the form?

  • Provide original or certified documents that show the change you are requesting. No photocopies.
  • Return all previous CRBAs we issued to you. If you cannot submit these documents, submit a notarized statement explaining the reason. (examples: document lost, stolen, or destroyed).

2. Photocopy of the front and back of your valid photo ID. Examples include:

  • State-issued driver’s license
  • Non-driver photo ID
  • Military ID
  • Passport
  • Veterans Affairs ID
  • Prison ID

If you don't have any of these IDs, please see Passport Vital Records IDs.

3. Check or money order. The cost is $50 for each record you request.

  • Make payable to the "U.S. Department of State"
  • Include a complete mailing address on the check
  • Must be payable in U.S. dollars through a U.S. bank

4. Mail Form DS-5542, a photocopy of the ID, and payment to:

    U.S. Department of State
    Passport Vital Records Section
    44132 Mercure Cir.
    PO Box 1213
    Sterling, VA  20166-1213

Avoid delays by signing your Form DS-5542 in front of a notary public.

Processing Times

Consider the total time it will take to receive your record when submitting your request.  

  • Our processing times only include the time your request is being reviewed by our office.
  • Mailing times (which may add up to 4 weeks) are not included in processing times.
  • Once we receive your request, we should process it in 4 to 8 weeks. We do not provide expedited service, and some documents may take longer than 8 weeks to locate.
  • To avoid delays, provide complete information on your Form DS-5542, and submit all your supporting documents (example: CRBAs, or copies of old passport records). Your processing times may be delayed if we need you to provide more information.
  • We can only provide official copies of records on file with the U.S. Department of State. If we issued your CRBA before November 1, 1990, we may need to do a manual search at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) which will take 14-16 weeks to complete.

Shipping Your Record

We will send your vital record to you. If you have an address in the United States, you can select First Class Mail or 1-2 Day Delivery:

  • USPS First Class Mail: 1-2 weeks. No cost.
  • 1-2 Day Delivery: Add $21.36 to the check or money order. 

Do not include a pre-paid express mail envelope with your request. This will cause a delay in delivery.

If you live outside the United States, we will send your vital record to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The embassy or consulate will coordinate with you to pick up or deliver your record.

Yes, you can give permission to a family member or friend who has known you for at least five years. We need:

  • Your signed, written permission. For example: "I, [write your name], give permission to [write your friend or family member's name] to request my Consular Report of Birth Abroad record on my behalf."
  • A photocopy of your valid photo ID.
  • A notarized statement from the person who is requesting your records.
  • A photocopy of the front and back of the valid photo ID of the person making the request.

Apostilles are certificates attached to your consular documents. You must make sure that the country where you will use the document is a member of the Hague Convention of 1961.  

If you need an apostille to meet foreign document requirements, you must submit a:

  1. Notarized, completed Form DS-5542
  2. Photocopy of the front and back of a valid state-issued, photo ID (example: driver's license) 
  3. Check or money order. The cost is $50 if you need a new copy of a CRBA. If you have a CRBA issued within the last five years, you don't need to pay for the apostille. 
  • Make payable to the "U.S. Department of State"
  • Include your complete mailing address on the check
  • Must be payable in U.S. dollars through a U.S. bank

Mail your notarized Form DS-5542, photocopy of your ID, and payment to:

    U.S. Department of State
    Passport Vital Records
    44132 Mercure Circle
    PO Box 1213
    Sterling, VA 20166-1213

Use our web form to contact us

Use this form to request a status check only if you have already submitted your Form DS-5542. If you are changing your mailing address, call us at 202-485-8300 and do not use this web form. Provide as much detail as possible. We will only respond to you within the next three weeks (21 days) if you have a question that is not answered on our website. Do not submit another request while waiting for a response. 

Complete this Form

*Required Fields

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You must provide tracking number if sent by mail, date of in-person drop off, or a note that the application has not been submitted yet.

Do you need an apostille attached to the vital record? *

You must provide tracking number if sent by mail, date of in-person drop off, or a note that the application has not been submitted yet.

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You have sucessfully submitted your inquiry to Vital Records. Thank You!

Due a technical issue, we did not receive your inquiry. Please try to submit your inquiry again. If you can not submit your inquiry using this form, email VitalRecordsPublicInquiries@state.gov or by calling 202-485-8300.

Last Updated: October 28, 2024