Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)

General Information

The American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit of the U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey accepts applications for CRBA’s from 8:00 am - 10:30 am, Monday through Friday, except U.S. and Mexican holidays and the first business day of each month.  Beginning January 22, 2008, all applicants will be required to have a scheduled appointment made either through the Internet or by telephone.

If your child was born in Mexico, but you or the other parent is an American citizen, your child may be an American citizen.  In order for your child to be registered as an American citizen, you need to document your child by going to the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy and applying for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).  A CRBA is not a birth certificate; it is an official record confirming that the child acquired U.S. citizenship at birth and serves as proof that citizenship.

CRBA Appointments

Effective January 22, 2008, the U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey will require scheduled appointments for all passport services.

Applicants wishing to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad may request appointments through our Internet appointment system or by calling the American Citizen Services unit at (81) 8345-2120 between the hours of 2:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, excluding U.S. and Mexican holidays and the first working day of the month.  Please note that Internet and telephone appointments are only available for U.S. citizens residing in the states of Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas.  You must schedule one person per appointment, regardless of the age.

Individuals needing emergency CRBA services should call the American Citizen Services unit at (81) 8345-2120 and our staff will assist with scheduling an appointment.

NOTE: Please be advised that there is no fee or charge to make an appointment other than your regular internet fees.

Applying for a CRBA

Parents seeking to obtain a CRBA for a child must be able to demonstrate to the interviewing consular officer that:

• At least one of the parents is a U.S. citizen;
• The child is the biological child of the U.S. citizen parent(s); and
• If only one of the parents is a U.S. citizen, the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the United States prior to the birth of the child; if both parents are U.S. citizens, at least one of them must have resided in the United States prior to the child’s birth. The period of physical presence in the United States required to transmit citizenship to a child born abroad varies depending on the date of birth of the child and the marital status of the parents.

In preparation for your application, please download form DS-2029 and the Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence (main page, supplementary page) which you can fill out in the computer and then print.  Use the Sample Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence to assist you in filling out the forms.

The application fee for a CRBA is $65.

In addition to the application form, the parent(s) must provide:

• Original or Certified Copy of the Mexican Birth Certificate, a provisional copy cannot be accepted.
• Proof of Parent’s Citizenship: Please show one of the following documents for one or both parents: US Passport (valid or expired); original U.S. birth certificate; or original Certificate of Naturalization.
• Proof of Both Parents' Identity: Driver’s license, State ID card, School ID, Mexican Voting Card, Passport.
• If only the child’s father is a US citizen, proof of parents’ relationship: If parents were married prior to the date of conception, please provide an original or certified copy of the marriage certificate and divorce decree (if applicable). If parents were not married at the time of conception, please provide proof of the existence of an on-going relationship at that time (personal letters and cards, dated photographs, telephone bills).
• Prenatal Documents: ultra sounds, prescriptions, and medical records.
• Documents from hospital where the applicant was born: identification bracelet, crib card, discharge orders, hospital bill, footprints and medical bills.
• Photos of Pregnancy and From Hospital: Photos taken of mother during pregnancy and in the hospital before and after the birth.
• Photos of the applicant from birth to present. If only one parent is a US citizen, proof of the parents’ physical presence in the US: The parent must prove at least 5 years of physical presence in the US, at least 2 of which are after the age of 14. The period of physical presence need not be continuous. Presence must be proven with concrete evidence (school records, tax forms with W-2, earnings statement, pay receipts, passport stamps). Please note that if the child was born before Nov. 14, 1986, the parent must prove 10 years physical presence, at least 5 after the age of 14. You are encouraged to consult with a consular officer to discuss these requirements and the required documentary evidence. If both parents are US Citizens and married at the time of the child’s birth, and only one parent has visited the United States at least once, proof of physical presence is not required.

We recommend that parents apply for their child’s U.S. passport along with the CRBA.  The standard passport requirements and fees apply to this service.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Citizenship determination is among the most complex services provided by the Consulate, and it is impossible to detail all potential cases in the space available.  The above is summarized information only to make applicants aware of the general nature of the documentary proof required.

If you have any questions or concerns, we recommend that you contact the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit at (81) 8345-2120 from 14:00 - 16:00 Monday through Friday for more specific information or by e-mail at MonterreyACS@state.gov.

Additional information is available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov/family/issues_birth.html.

Updated: December 20, 2007