Consular Report of Birth Abroad

All citizenship applicants are seen by appointment only. Book an appointment when you have assembled all the following, required documents. Applicants who come to the Consulate without the required documents or without an appointment will be turned away. For general information on citizenship and nationality please click here.

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) U.S. citizen parents may transmit their citizenship to a child born outside of the U.S. Please make an appointment and apply in person, entering at 225 Simcoe Street. Please expect two hours or more of initial in-person processing by the parent(s) and a total of 4-6 weeks before final determination. Civil records must bear the original seal, stamp or signature of the official government custodian of that record; "certified true copies," hospital or religious records, and notarized or illegible copies are unacceptable.

An FS-240 is only available if the child is under 18 and outside of the U.S. A child living in the U.S. cannot return here and apply for an FS-240. That child must apply for a Certificate of Citizenship (N-600) at a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office inside the U.S.

A first time applicant for U.S. citizenship who resides in Ontario but is over 18 applies for a passport using the DS-11. The applicant must make a birth abroad appointment and apply in person with us, bringing the same following documents (but not the DS-2029). The American citizen parent should accompany the applicant to their appointment and fill out an Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence. If the American citizen parent is deceased, the applicant should bring the original death certificate. The same proof of parent(s)' required physical presence in the U.S. before the child's birth must be submitted.

You MUST present the following (this list is not all-inclusive and we may request further evidence as necessary):

• Your child
• Application for Consular Report of Birth (DS-2029), follow these instructions. If only one parent is an American citizen, that parent must appear at the Consulate and fill out an Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence.
• Child's long-version birth certificate, (in Ontario, the Statement of Live Birth is available through ServiceOntario) stating the child's full name, both parents' names, date/place of birth, and date of registration
• Proof of parent(s)' required physical presence in the U.S. before the child's birth, for a certain period of time as required by law. Note that a U.S. driver's license alone or a single letter/bill showing your U.S. address will not suffice.
• Parents' original, government-issued marriage certificate, if married (marriage licenses or certificates issued by officiants are not accepted). In Ontario, marriage certificates are available through ServiceOntario
• Evidence of parents' U.S. citizenship: valid or expired U.S. passport, U.S. birth certificateor U.S. naturalization/citizenship certificate or consular report of birth abroad.
• Parents' current ID containing personal data and photo
• Divorce decrees or death certificates terminating any prior marriages of the parents;
• Fee of US$100, payable by cash (US dollars or the equivalent in Canadian dollars), US dollar bank or postal money order (NO personal checks), or credit card (Visa or MasterCard only);
• Prepaid, self-addressed Canada Post Xpresspost envelope. Please DO NOT purchase the “Pack” size envelope. Only one envelope per family or group is required. Put your information in both the "To" and "From" sections. We can only return issued reports of birth by mail to an Ontario address.
• Photocopy of each document for each child, or one US dollar per document that we photocopy.
• Any document not in English must be accompanied by a signed and dated translation completed by a certified translator ("I certify that this is a true and complete translation from x language to English").

For a child who resides north of the line connecting Lake Nippissing, French River and Tobermory, the DS-2029 may be notarized by an Ontario notary public, and authenticated by the Ontario government.

If a U.S. Citizen Parent Cannot Transmit Citizenship to a Child Born Abroad then that child may receive U.S. citizenship from a U.S. citizen grandparent by following these procedures, only within the U.S. and through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. For reference, the State Department also maintains a website on intercountry adoptions.

Additional Requirements for a Child's First Passport Your child is not required to apply for a passport at the same time as the FS-240, but many applicants choose to do so to save a later trip to the consulate. If you wish to submit both applications on the same day, please bring:

• Your child;
• If the child is under 16, both parents, (see Special Requirements for Children Under 16);
• The DS-11 application form;
• Proof of U.S. citizenship: a U.S. birth certificate, naturalization certificate, certificate of citizenship or FS-240;
• Passport application fee (Current Information on Passport Fees) payable by cash (US dollars or the equivalent in Canadian dollars), US dollar bank or postal money order (NO personal checks), or credit card (Visa or MasterCard only);
• One front view 2"x2" color photo on a white background taken within the past 6 months.

It takes 2-3 weeks minimum to get a passport outside of the U.S. There is no expedited passport service for a higher fee as is offered inside the U.S. Many countries require that a passport be valid for 6 months after entry. Please apply well in advance of intended travel.

To apply for a Social Security number, please click here for downloadable forms and instructions. You are strongly encouraged to apply by mail or at the closest Social Security office. You may apply for a Social Security number at the Consulate, but you should expect to wait 6-8 months before receiving a response from the Social Security Administration. NOTE: If you do not apply for the child’s U.S. passport, but want a Social Security number, you must bring the child’s Ontario health card for identification purposes per Social Security Administration requirements.