Have a new baby? Mazel tov on your child’s birth!
Children born abroad to U.S. citizen parents may have a claim to U.S. citizenship. If the parent(s) have lived in the United States long enough to transmit U.S. citizenship to their child, that child's birth may be reported at U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv and the child may obtain a U.S. passport and social security number. We strongly recommend that the birth of your child be reported to us as soon as possible after the birth.
The following information will assist you in determining whether or not your child is a U.S. citizen and serve as a step-by-step guide for how to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).
STEP ONE: Determine if You Can Transmit U.S. Citizenship to Your Child
The law on acquisition of U.S. citizenship for a child varies if one or both biological parents are U.S. citizens, and if the child is born in or out of wedlock. To determine if the child’s U.S. citizen parent(s) were in the United States long enough to transmit U.S. citizenship, please read the following:
· Child born abroad to two U.S. citizens:
A child born outside of the United States or its outlying possessions to parents, both of whom are U.S. citizens at the time of the child’s birth, is entitled to citizenship provided one of the parents had, prior to the birth of the child, been resident in the United States or one of its outlying possessions. (No specific period of time is required.)
· Child born abroad to one U.S. citizen parent and one non-U.S. citizen:
o If your child was born after November 14, 1986, the U.S. citizen parent must prove a total of 5 years of physical presence in the United States prior to the birth of the child. At least 2 of the 5 years must be after that parent turned 14.
o If your child was born before November 14, 1986, the U.S. citizen parent must prove that he or she was physically present in the United States for a total of 10 years prior to the birth of the child. At least 5 of the 10 years must be after that parent turned 14.
· Child born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother:
A child born outside of the United States and out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother is entitled to U.S. citizenship providing the U.S. citizen mother can prove she had been physically present in the United States for a continuous period of at least one year at some time prior to the birth of her child.
· Child born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father:
A child born abroad and out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father is entitled to U.S. citizenship if the U.S. citizen father can prove he had been physically present in the United States for the period of time as specified in the above paragraphs on children born in wedlock to one U.S. citizen and one non-U.S. citizen parent.
Proving Physical Presence
Documents usually accepted as primary evidence include original signed and sealed school transcripts or report cards, tax returns stamped by the IRS, or W-2 Forms, list of entries and exits out of Israel from the Israeli Ministry of Interior. U.S. passports bearing entry and exit stamps are accepted as secondary evidence. Other types of secondary evidence include immunizations records, evidence of medical treatment or court appearance, or bank statements demonstrating checking account activity. Legally, the burden of proof lies upon the U.S. citizen parent to provide this information.
Did you reside in the United States long enough to transmit citizenship to your child?
If yes, proceed to Step Two.
STEP TWO: Make an Appointment Online
The next step is to make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy. If your child has a claim to U.S. citizenship, it is necessary for the U.S. citizen parent to complete the application for a "Consular Report of Birth Abroad" in-person, before a consular officer. Follow this link to make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv: http://israel.usembassy.gov/consular/acs/appointments.html.
You may apply for a passport for your child at the same time, but must have a separate appointment for each child. For example, if you have four children and want to report all four births at the same time and want also to apply for their passports, your family will need four appointments—one for each child.
Got your appointment?
If yes, proceed to Step Three.
STEP THREE: Prepare Your Application
Did you know that many applications are not accepted because applicants forget to bring one or more of the required documents? Don’t make the same mistake! To avoid making additional trips to the U.S. Embassy with your entire family in tow, please follow carefully the below checklist to ensure you have ALL the items you need for a successful application.
What to bring:
ü Child: the child who is being reported must appear at the Embassy.
ü U.S. citizen parent: the U.S. citizen parent(s) must appear at the Embassy.
ü Birth Certificate: Please bring the child's original, official birth certificate listing both parents’ names (abstracts of birth, also known as birth abstracts, and hospital birth certificates are NOT accepted).
ü Marriage Certificate: If the parents of the child are married, please bring an original certificate. If your marriage certificate is in a language other than English, you must have the document translated before coming to the Embassy.
ü Evidence of Parents' Citizenship and Identity: Parents' current U.S. passports must be submitted at time of application. The non-U.S. citizen parent should present his/her foreign passport.
ü Divorce Decrees/Death Certificates: It will be necessary to show termination of all prior marriages for both parents (and certified translations, if appropriate).
ü Affidavit of Physical Presence: If only one parent is an American citizen, that parent must fill out this affidavit fully and completely. In addition to the affidavit, you should
bring documentary evidence of physical presence supporting your application. Documents that usually accepted as primary evidence include original signed and sealed school transcripts or report cards, tax returns stamped by the IRS, or W-2 Forms. U.S. passports bearing entry and exit stamps are accepted as secondary evidence. Other types of secondary evidence include immunizations records, evidence of medical treatment or court appearance, or bank statements demonstrating checking account activity. Photocopies of the birth certificate, marriage certificate and both parents passports. ü 100 USD fee, payable by cash (dollars or shekels) or international credit card.
ü Envelope: The report of birth is sent back to the applicant once it has been processed. In order to receive the document back, please either bring a self-addressed, stamped envelope (A4 size) with at least 16.70 NIS of postage, or request a delivery by courier service when you come to the Embassy. The fee is 40 NIS payable to the delivery company by phone by credit card.
Are your application(s) fully prepared and all the necessary documents gathered?
If yes, proceed to Step Four.
STEP FOUR: Arrival at the U.S. Embassy
The next step is to arrive at the Embassy for your appointment. We look forward to seeing you! Visit our website for a list of prohibited items that, for security reasons, you will not be able to bring into the Embassy: http://israel.usembassy.gov/prepare.html.
If your application is approved by the Consular Officer, congratulations! Your child is an American Citizen and you may proceed to Step Five.
If your application is denied because you are unable to confer U.S. citizenship to your child, your child may still be eligible for citizenship via naturalization. If your parents (the child’s grandparents) are both U.S. citizens, they may be able to apply for expeditious naturalization for their grandchild. Visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website, www.uscis.gov, for additional information.
STEP FIVE: Receive Your Child's Certificate of Report of Birth Abroad
The Certificate of Report of Birth Abroad is printed in the United States and usually is delivered to us approximately two to three weeks after approval. In most cases, it will be mailed to you. In some cases, the child’s Certificate of Report of Birth Abroad and U.S. passport may be picked up at the Embassy by the child, applicant’s parents, or authorized representative.
