Consular Reports of Birth Abroad

Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) are documentary evidence of a child's right to U.S. citizenship from birth. Applications for CRBAs may be submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Nepal by appointment only.

The consular section also issues Reports of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad, which are frequently required in the United States in place of a foreign death certificate. Consular sections no longer issue Certificates of Witness to Marriage.

If you need copies of a previously issued Consular Report of Birth or Death or Certificate of Witness to Marriage or if you require a Certificate of No Record, contact the Vital Records Section of Passport Services.

Consular Reports of Birth Abroad

To apply for a CRBA for a child born in Nepal, you will need to bring the following items:

• The child's hospital-issued birth certificate
• The child's birth certificate issued by a local registrar
• Parents' passports
• Parents' marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Parents' prior divorce decrees (if applicable)
• Certified translations of any documents written in Nepali (Certified translations may be obtained from the Law Books Management Board under the Law Ministry in Babar Mahal, Kathmandu.)
• Completed application form FS-579 (available from the consular section)
• Fee of $65, payable in U.S. dollars or Nepali rupees

At the time of application, a consular officer will determine whether or not your child is eligible for U.S. citizenship from birth. In most cases, a child born to an American parent is eligible for citizenship. However, laws governing the transmission of U.S. citizenship can be quite complex. Different laws apply to children born to two U.S. citizen parents, children born to one U.S. citizen parent and one alien parent, and children born out of wedlock. Parents must demonstrate that they have met requirements for physical presence in the United States in order to transmit citizenship to their children, and in some cases, parents may be asked to fill out an Affidavit of Paternity or Maternity.

If your child was born in a country other than Nepal, you may file your application at the Embassy in Kathmandu, but the consular section must forward your application to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over the child's place of birth. You may wish to contact that Embassy or Consulate directly for guidance about documentary requirements in your child's country of birth.

You may apply for a CRBA for your child up until the child's eighteeth birthday. However, it is recommended to file the application soon after the child's birth, to ensure that all required documentation is available.

At the time of application for a CRBA, many parents choose to apply for a Social Security card for the child. The Embassy will provide an application and forward it to the Social Security Administration if you elect to apply for a card.

Other Consular Reports and Certifications

If an American dies in Nepal, the consular section will send the family up to ten certified copies of a Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad. Issuance of the Report of Death can sometimes take longer than a month, depending on how long it takes Nepali authorities to complete the local death certificate. The consular section works with local authorities ensure that this time is as short as possible. For additional copies, please contact the Vital Records Section of Passport Services.

Consular officers are not permited to perform marriages, and Embassies no longer issue Certifications of Witness to a Marriage.

If you need a copy of a birth, death, marriage, divorce or other certificate issued in the United States, please see the CDC/NCHS site Where to Write for Vital Records for further information.