Consular Report of Birth Abroad

The Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) certifies the acquisition of U.S. citizenship at birth for a person born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements to transmit citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

CRBA applications must be made before the child’s 18th birthday. We recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for a CRBA in Costa Rica, your child must be under 18 years of age and must appear in person at the Embassy. Generally, both parents must attend the interview. To see if your child may qualify for U.S. citizenship at birth, see Acquisition of U.S. Citizenship at Birth by a Child Born Abroad and Birth of U.S. Citizens and Non-Citizen Nationals Abroad.

How to Apply (Online Application and Payment)

 
 

• Create an account with MyTravelGov. MyTravelGov is a secure, encrypted portal. Watch this video to learn about creating your account. Use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to access MyTravelGov. You can also use Safari on MacOS (iMac) but cannot use Safari on iOS (iPhone and iPad).
• Once you create a MyTravelGov account, access eCRBA and submit your application online. The online process provides applicants with step-by-step instructions to complete the application.

Note: Applicants must have a Login.gov account to access eCRBA services on the MyTravelGov portal. Instructions for creating a Login.gov account are available at MyTravel.state.gov. If you already have an eCRBA application in progress, use the same email address previously used to access the MyTravelGov website to create an account. This ensures a streamlined linkage between your existing profile and the new authentication system.

• Review the required documents for the CRBA application using the checklist below.
• Complete the online application and submit payment ($100). Please allow 5 working days for processing and then email SanJoseCRBA@state.gov to schedule your interview appointment.
• Attend your in-person interview appointment with your original documents (and if you did not submit online bring photocopies of your original documents). Original documents will be returned to you. The child must be present at interview appointment.

How to Apply

If not able to complete your CRBA application and payment online due to technical issues, please use our contact form.

Other Important Information

A Social Security number application can be submitted after receiving the original Consular Report of Birth Abroad and U.S. passport. To obtain a Social Security number for your child, please contact the Federal Benefits Unit.

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) Appointment Checklist and Required Documents

Arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment time. Applicants are subject to screening and may not bring in electronics.

You must bring the original (and if you did not submit online bring single-sided photocopies of your original documents) of all documents below or you may have to reschedule your appointment:

• Application (not required if submitting application online via MyTravelGov account): Completed and printed DS-2029 form. Do not leave any item blank. If a question does not apply, mark “N/A” (not applicable). Important: Accurately complete the physical presence dates of the U.S. citizen parent(s) prior to the child’s birth in item 2J, page 2.
• Application Fee: If you completed the eCRBA and paid the CRBA application fee online using the U.S. government’s official payment site pay.gov, your payment is complete. If you did not register on MyTravelGov and submit an eCRBA, the $100 CRBA application fee must be paid at the appointment in cash (U.S. dollars or Costa Rican colones) or by credit card.
• Costa Rican Birth Certificate (Long Form): Child’s original Costa Rican birth certificate (certificado de nacimiento literal), issued on stamped paper (papel con timbres) from the Civil Registry (Registro Civil).
• Proof of Pregnancy: Original documents of prenatal/birth records and/or other evidence of mother’s pregnancy. (The declaración de nacimiento on yellow carbon paper showing the registration of the birth at the hospital is not sufficient.)
• Proof of Parent’s Citizenship: Evidence of parent’s (or parents’) U.S. citizenship (unexpired U.S. passport, a U.S. birth certificate, a certificate of naturalization, or a Certificate of Citizenship issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security). Note: The American citizen parent must have obtained citizenship prior to the child’s birth in order to transmit citizenship through this process.
• Proof of identification of the non-U.S. citizen parent (national ID card or passport).
• Proof of Relationship: If the child was born in-wedlock (i.e., parents were married to each other at the time of birth) or born to a U.S. citizen mother, the biological relationship generally can be demonstrated through marriage certificate and birth certificate, and/or medical records pertaining to the pregnancy, such as prenatal care records, ultrasounds, and pregnancy photos. If the child was born out-of-wedlock (i.e., parents not married at time of birth) to a U.S. citizen father, satisfactory evidence of an exclusive relationship with the mother must be presented (e.g., relationship photos, evidence of cohabitation, shared travel history, joint accounts, evidence of physical presence at time of conception with passport stamps and/or migratory movements records from Costa Rican government, etc.).
• Marriage/Divorce Certificate(s):
  – If the parents are married, provide the original or certified copy of the marriage certificate. If the marriage took place in Costa Rica, this document must be obtained from the Civil Registry (Registro Civil).
  – If either parent has been married previously, certified copies of the documents showing termination (through death or divorce) of all previous marriages.
  – If the parents were not married at the time of child’s birth or conception, provide proof of the existence of the parents’ relationship at that time, e.g., date-stamped photos, lease agreements, receipts, financial statements, etc.
• Residence or Physical Presence: Proof of U.S. citizen parent’s physical presence in the United States:
  – The period of physical presence in the United States required to transmit citizenship depends on the child’s date of birth and the marital status of the parents. Review the requirements here.
  – For two U.S. citizen parents married prior to the birth of their child, prior residence can be shown with a valid driver’s license or other document listed below (as evidence of physical presence).
  – For two U.S. citizens not married at birth of child or one transmitting U.S. citizen parent, evidence of the U.S. citizen parent’s physical presence in the United States for the required period must be shown as determined by law. Note: Physical presence accrued after the child’s birth cannot be used to meet this requirement. Examples of documents that can be used to show physical presence include, but are not limited to, the following: school records; childhood immunization records; college transcripts; U.S. military service records DD-214; paystubs and tax records (must be able to show that the work was performed in the U.S.); employment certification letters,
• U.S. Passport Application: If you will apply for the child’s U.S. passport at this appointment, you must provide the following:
  – Application form DS-11 completed and not signed. The DS-11 form must be completed using the link above; other versions of the form are not accepted.
  – One (1) recent photograph, in color, size 2” x 2”, with a white background and full front view. Photos that do not meet these requirements will not be accepted.
  – Application Fee: The $135 passport application fee must be paid at the appointment in cash (U.S. dollars or Costa Rican colones) or by credit card. All application fees are nonrefundable.

Legal Requirements for Physical Presence in the U.S.

Please refer to Travel.State.Gov for more information on citizenship transmission requirements.