The birth of a child in The Bahamas or the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCIs) to a U.S. citizen parent (or parents) should be reported as soon as possible to the U.S. Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Nassau for the purpose of assessing the child’s claim to U.S. citizenship at birth. The official record is in the form of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) of a Citizen of the United States of America, Form FS-240. A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal document certifying the acquisition of United States 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). To apply for a CRBA, the U.S. citizen parent (or one of two U.S. citizen parents) and the child must be present at the Embassy. If you would like to apply for your child’s first U.S. passport at the same time, the parent(s) listed on the birth certificate must be present. Please see information on how to schedule an appointment.
In order to determine the child’s citizenship under the appropriate provisions of U.S. law, the following documents must be submitted on the day of your appointment:
- Completed DS-2029 CRBA application form;
- Original foreign birth certificate of applicant child;
- Evidence of the parent(s)’ U.S. citizenship ( U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Naturalization Certificate, Certificate of Citizenship);
- A passport or government issued Photo ID of both parents must be presented as proof of identity;
- Parents’ marriage certificate, if applicable;
- Evidence of the termination of any previous marriages of either parent (divorce decree, annulment decree, or death certificate);
- Proof of Physical Presence in the U.S. by the U.S. citizen parent which documents their time spent in the U.S. prior to the child’s birth.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the U.S. citizen parent transmitting citizen must provide documented proof of physical presence in the United States (all prior to the child’s birth). Acceptable documents for proof of presence are U.S. school transcripts, employment records, W2s, bank records, Social Security Statements, medical bills, rent receipts, or other official public documents. Evidence of time spent abroad working for the U.S. government, U.S. Armed Forces (DD-214) or qualifying international organization, or as a dependent child of a person working abroad for such entities prior to the birth of the child is also acceptable in some cases. If a CRBA was previously issued to other siblings, then please bring that certificate as well. Please review the U.S. presence transmission requirements prior to your appointment.
We encourage you to apply for your child’s U.S. passport at the same time you make the CRBA application. Both parents and the child must be present and the following additional documents should be submitted:
- Completed DS-11 passport application form
- One passport photo 2×2 inches in size taken within the last 6 months (click here to check other passport photo requirements);
- Valid government issued ID for the parent(s).
CRBA AND PASSPORT FEES: The fee for a CRBA application is $100.00. The fee for a passport book is $135.00 (under age 16) or $165.00 (if the applicant is 16 or 17 years old.) Payment may be made in cash, in U.S. dollars or Bahamian dollars (the currencies cannot be mixed), by credit card [Mastercard or Visa], or by bank draft payable “U.S. Embassy Nassau.” We cannot accept personal checks. Fees are nonrefundable.
Note: The age limit for a CRBA is 18 years. If you are 18 years of age or older and are applying for U.S. citizenship through your parent(s), then please contact our office via ACSNassau@state.gov or 242-322-1181 to inquire about the application requirements.
Note: Once your child’s CRBA and/or passport have been issued, we recommend you contact the regional Federal Benefits Unit in Santo Doming via FBU.Santo.Domingo@ssa.gov to apply for your child’s Social Security Card/Number. Alternatively, you can visit a Social Security Office in the United States to apply. You can find more information here.
Click here to schedule an appointment at U.S. Embassy Nassau. Please arrive on time for your appointment. If you arrive more than 15 minutes early or more than 15 minutes later than your scheduled appointment time, you will be denied access to the Embassy.
If you have any questions you can contact us at ACSNassau@state.gov or 242-322-1181.