Federal document
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
How to apostille a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA / FS-240) to establish a child's U.S. citizenship overseas.
- Issuing agency
- US Department of State
- We can obtain it?
- Yes, we retrieve this for you
- Certification first?
- No prior certification needed
- Also known as
- FS-240, Form FS-545, CRBA
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), Form FS-240, documents the U.S. citizenship of a child born outside the United States to U.S.-citizen parents. It functions like a birth certificate for these children, and foreign authorities often require it apostilled.
Why it needs an apostille abroad
The apostille certifies the CRBA as authentic for Hague Convention countries; non-Hague destinations require embassy legalization.
How to get CRBA for use overseas
The document and its replacements
If you hold the original FS-240, we take it straight to apostille. If it is lost, a replacement is requested from the Department of State's Vital Records office. We advise on the correct path and handle the authentication.
Common uses
- Dual nationality for a child born abroad.
- Foreign school enrollment and residency.
- Establishing citizenship by descent in a second country.
CRBA apostille by country
Where the document is going decides the process. Hague Convention members accept an apostille; non-Hague countries need embassy legalization on top. Pick your destination:
Ready to start?
Tell us what you have and where it is going. We reply with the correct route, a flat quote and shipping instructions.