Consular Report of Birth Abroad

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal document certifying the acquisition of U.S. citizenship at birth for a person born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  U.S.  non-citizen nationals are also eligible for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, using the non-citizen option.

To see if your child may qualify for U.S. citizenship at birth see Acquisition of U.S. Citizenship at Birth by a Child Born Abroad and Birth of U.S. Citizens and Non-Citizen Nationals Abroad.

CRBA applications must be made before the child’s 18th birthday. We recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.

A CRBA is not a travel document.  We recommend that you submit an application for your child’s U.S. passport at the same time.  Even if your child holds another nationality, they must enter and exit the United States on a U.S. passport. 

Eligibility Requirements

To apply, your child must have been born in Egypt or Yemen and you must travel to U.S. Embassy Cairo for the in-person interview.

To be eligible to apply for a CRBA online, you MUST answer all the following criteria with YES.

  1. Was the child born in Egypt or Yemen?
  2. Is the child under the age of 18?
  3. Was at least one parent a U.S. citizen or U.S. non-citizen national when the child was born?
  4. Can you use an internationally accepted credit/debit card or a direct payment method from a U.S. dollar denominated bank account (also known as “ACH”) to pay online for your Consular Report of Birth Abroad application?
  5. Are you a biological parent of a child born abroad who is applying for that child?

How to Apply

All CRBA applications must now be submitted electronically to U.S. Embassy Cairo. Our new online feature allows U.S. citizen parents to complete a CRBA application online, upload all required documents, and submit payment prior to the in-person interview.

  1. To apply for a CRBA online, you need to create a MyTravelGov account is a secured, encrypted portal. Watch this video to learn more about creating your account.
  2. Once you have created a MyTravelGov account you can access eCRBA and submit your application online. The easy-to-use online process provides applicants with step-by-step instructions on how to complete the application.  Please scan all required documents and translations in to one .pdf file to upload to eCRBA.
  3. After you complete the online application and submit payment, you will then be directed to schedule your appointment at U.S. Embassy Cairo. Please allow at least 72 hours after you submit payment online for your payment to be processed. Your interview request will be denied if we cannot confirm your payment.

Please email CRBACairo@state.gov with the following subject line: Request for CRBA appointment – CHILD’S LAST NAME, CHILD’S FIRST NAME (DATE OF BIRTH)

Your interview request email must include your child’s full name, your child’s date of birth using MM-DD-YYYY format AND the case number you received when you submitted                the CRBA payment online. We will review your online application and payment and respond with an appointment time via email.

4.  Attend your scheduled in-person interview with your original documents and their photocopies (single-sided) and the online payment receipt. Original documents will be returned to you after reviewing your application. You must provide English translations for all foreign language documents. The child must be present at the time of application. Generally, both parents also attend the interview.  Please Note: Do NOT make another (or duplicate) payment for a CRBA ($100) at the Embassy.

Need Help?

  • You can access eCRBA 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.
  • You can view an application how-to-guide here.

Passport Application

Please bring a completed DS-11 passport application and passport photo for the child to your CRBA appointment to apply for a U.S. passport. Complete the DS-11 form online and print it. As a reminder, passport forms will not be available at the embassy, and we no longer accept handwritten or typed passport application forms. The form must have a barcode printed in the top-left corner of the page You can pay the fee for the U.S. passport application ($135) at the time of the interview via cash (U.S. dollars or Egyptian Pounds—the amount is according to the U.S. Embassy daily exchange rate) or credit and debit cards (U.S. dollars only).

If Only One Parent Can Attend the Interview

We strongly advise that both parents should be present at the appointment, especially the U.S. citizen parent transmitting citizenship.  However, we recognize that it may not be possible in all cases.

If one custodial parent is not able to attend, they must submit a notarized Form DS-3053 Statement of Consent. At the time the DS-3053 form is presented, a copy of the same identity document used to notarize the form must also be provided.

Alternatively, the applying parent may furnish one of the following documents:

  • Complete court order granting the applying parent sole legal custody of the child, such as a divorce decree or other custody order, or
  • Complete court order specifically permitting the applying parent to apply for the child’s passport (photocopy is acceptable), or
  • Certified copy of the child’s birth certificate listing the applying parent as the only parent, or
  • Certified copy of the judicial declaration of incompetence of the parent that cannot appear in person, or
  • Certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased parent.

If the parents were not married at the time of the child’s birth and the transmitting U.S. citizen father is not able to attend the appointment, Form DS-5507 Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence and Support is required. The form must be completed, signed, and notarized, and should be presented along with a copy of the same identity document used to notarize the form.

Other Important Information

Please note that an application for a Social Security Number can only be submitted after receiving the original Consular Report of Birth Abroad and Passport. To obtain a Social Security Number for your child, contact the Social Security Administration Federal Benefits Unit in Naples, Italy. More information on Social Security inquires here.