Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a US Citizen (CRBA)

Hello, my husband and I are looking for a surrogate mother abroad, currently interested in Ukraine but still haven’t made up our minds. Surrogacy is too expensive for us here in the USA… We find traveling abroad cheaper, you see! The problem is I’m not sure our baby is going to be considered a US citizen once born, because I’m not sure I’ll be able to use my own eggs – their quality is too low, so probably needing egg donation. I’ve heard both parents MUST be biologically connected to the child, otherwise the baby won’t be granted the US citizenship and IPs are not allowed to apply for the Consular Report of Birth Abroad. What can you tell me about this?

Dear luvontoor44,

As you may know, a CRBA (Consular Report of Birth Abroad) is a document that proves that a child born outside the US is indeed a U.S. citizen. Parents should apply for it in the country where the baby was born. To that end, the U.S. Citizen Services encourage intended parents to apply for it ASAP after the birth.

Please, take into account that the CRBA accepts applications by appointment only (click here to access the ACS Appointment System). You are required to be in possession of a photocopy and a certified translation (if necessary, when these documents are in a language other than English). The original of each one of the documents below is required, too:

– The child’s birth certificate from the country where s/he was born, issued by a civil’s registrar’s office – they don’t refer here to the medical birth certificate issued by the hospital.
– Proof of the parents’ citizenship and identity – a valid U.S. or foreign passport if possible.
– Original marriage certificate, if any, and proof of the number of previous marriages ended, if any.
– Evidence of your physical presence in the USA before the child’s birth, with submission of old passports, if available. Other useful evidence could be: affidavits, rent receipts, utility bills, school, tax, bank…
– A completed application of the Form DS-2029.
– The $100 application fee in dollars or the equivalent in the currency of the country where the baby is born.

In some cases, applicants may be required to submit a series of additional documents, such as: Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence, evidence of prenatal care, or photographs. A DNA test may also be suggested if there is not clear evidence.

The following thread may be of interest: Surrogacy abroad and transmission of US citizenship.

Best regards

Dear luvontoor44,

Sandra F. is correct. Great information. In Ukraine they also require a DNA test. This test must be done in the US in an accredited facility. The list is on the US Embassy in Ukraine’s website. The entire process – from birth until you receive the child’s US passport, should take no more than a month. (Although holidays can cause delays). A good agency should take care of the entire process for you so you can enjoy the time with your child and not stress out about paper work. If you have questions, I am happy to share.

PS. The residency requirement in the US is only for the biologically connected parent. It has to be for a total of 5 years, but does not have to be consecutive. I know this sounds like a crazy detail, but I have run up against this problem!