Reporting a Birth
The following information is provided to ensure you have all the necessary documents and are prepared for your appointment. What do I need to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad? Proof of Citizenship and Identity Parents may use any of the following as applicable: Proof of Marriage Parents must bring the original certified copy of the following: Application Forms Evidence of Physical Presence at the Time of Conception In some cases, parents must provide evidence of physical presence at the time of conception. Parents may document their presence outside the U.S. with the following documents: Although not mandatory, some parents may find a DNA paternity/maternity test is the best way to show evidence of conception. Transmitting Citizenship Prior, Physical Presence in the U.S. A U.S. citizen parent may "transmit" citizenship to their children based on the parent's physical presence in the U.S. All U.S. citizen parents must be able to document their physical presence in the U.S. prior to their child's birth. The burden of proof is on the parent for documentation. If a child is born to U.S. citizen parents who were married to each other at the time of the child's birth, and one of the parents were born in the United States, only an original or certified copy of that parent's birth certificate is needed. Otherwise, U.S. citizen parents may bring the following to document their prior, physical presence. Transmission will be determined at the appointment. The physical presence requirement is usually for 5 years prior to the child's birth, with two of those years being after the U.S citizen parent's 14th birthday. The five years do not have to be consecutive. Please note: An American Citizen mother who is applying for her child, who was born out of wedlock, only needs to show 12 months of consecutive presence in the U.S. prior to her child's birth. If your child was born before November 14, 1986, please contact the Consular section at ACSBelize@state.gov. Please note: A U.S. citizen cannot transmit U.S. citizenship to his/her spouse. Fees The Consular Report of Birth fee is US$65. We are a "cash only" office. No credit cards are accepted. Fees may be paid in U.S. or Belizean dollars. SPECIAL NOTES: Consular Reports of Birth Abroad normally take 7 to 10 business days for processing. Any documents which are not in English must be translated into English. The consular officer must see each child who is applying for a CRBA. Non-American parents should also attend the interview for the application. If it is not possible for them to attend, they must send a notarized letter agreeing to their child applying for American Citizenship. A copy of their official government ID must accompany the notarized letter. Parents must swear to or affirm the truth of the Consular Report of Birth Abroad in front of the Consular Officer. All forms will be signed in front of the Consular Officer during the day of the interview. If you have further questions about the Consular Report of Birth Abroad, please contact the consular section at ACSBelize@state.gov Request an appointment. What do I need to apply for my child's first passport? To apply for your child's first passport you will need the following: Fees The passport fee for applicants under 16 is US$85. We are a "cash only" office. No credit cards are accepted. Fees may be paid in U.S. or Belize dollars. Passport Processing: Passports applications normally take 7 to 10 business days for processing. The consular officer must see each child who is applying for a U.S. passport. Both parents are required to be present at the interview for the application. If it is not possible for one parent to be present, they must send a notarized letter or send a signed-notarized copy of Form DS 3053, along with a copy of their official government ID agreeing to their child applying for a U.S. passport.
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