Certificate Of Birth (ds-1350)

[Akeem Luperon]

Youmay only accept an original or certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority, or outlying possession of the United States that bears an official seal. Versions will vary by state and year of birth.

Form DS 1350 (also known as a Certificate of Report of Birth) is a discontinued document that was used to identify and formally establish the rights to US citizenship of individuals born overseas. This originally replaced form FS 545 in 1990 and has since been replaced with form FS 240 as of 2011.

Whilst this vital record is no longer issued by worldwide US embassies and consular offices it is still a valid form of ID when proving your citizenship. Find out below how it can be used to identify individuals and when it may be necessary to prove your identity.

When issued a document for a birth abroad, such as a DS 1350 form, holders or their parents may use the vital record to prove their individual identity or apply for government documents such as:

They will also be able to use it when claiming government benefits they are eligible for and to attain the right to residency in the United States. It grants the same access to privileges as the use of a birth certificate registered in the US.

If you have none of the above identification and are requesting a birth certificate for your child, please provide a letter from the hospital (their letterhead) where the child was born along with a letter (their letterhead) from the health care provider who provided the mother prenatal care. The letter from the health care provider shall include the dates prenatal care began and ceased, name of the mother and the name, signature and title of the person preparing the letter.

You must provide an original or certified copy* of identity/citizenship status documentation during the application process and the names on all documents must match exactly with the name provided on the application. If you have legally changed your name, you must provide an original or certified name change document (such as marriage certificates and divorce decrees) in addition to the required documentation.

*An original or certified copy of a document must be issued by a Federal, State, Tribal, county, municipal authority, or outlying possession bearing an official seal. Short form or abstract birth certificates and notarized copies of documents are not acceptable.

**A passport cannot be used as a List A document if it is expired. If it has expired within the past 12 months, it can be used, but only as a proof of citizenship (List B). Additionally, an expired U.S. passport may not be presented by itself. It must be presented with at least one other List B document.

The birth of a child abroad to U.S. citizen parent(s) should be reported to the nearest U.S. Consulate or Embassy as soon after the birth as possible. A $100.00 fee is charged for reporting the birth at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. See Department of State link for more information.

Each document should be certified as a true copy of the original by the registrar of the office that issued the document. Other documents may be needed in some cases. Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for details on what evidence is needed.

When the application is approved, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (Form FS-240) is given to the applicant. This document, known as the Consular Report of Birth, has the same value as proof of citizenship as the Certificate of Citizenship issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

A Consular Report of Birth can be prepared only at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas, and only if the person who is the subject of the report is under 18 years of age when the application is made. A person residing abroad who is now 18 years of age or over, and whose claim to U.S. citizenship has never been documented, should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance in registering as a U.S. citizen.

The Department began issuing a new consular Report of Birth on January 3, 2011. You may request multiple copies of this document at any time. As of December 31, 2010 the Certificate of Report of Birth Abroad (DS-1350) is no longer issued. All previously issued FS-240 and DS-1350 documents are still valid for proof of identity, citizenship and other legal purposes.

To obtain an amended Consular Report of Birth in a new name, send a written request and fees as noted above, the original (or replacement) Consular Report of Birth, or if not available, a notarized affidavit about its whereabouts. Also, send a certified copy of the court order or final adoption decree which identifies the child and shows the change of name with the request. If the name has been changed informally, submit public records and affidavits that show the change of name.

Birth certifications for alien children adopted by U.S. citizens and lawfully admitted to the United States may be obtained from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) if the birth information is on file. (Address can be found in a telephone directory.) To obtain the birth data, it is necessary to provide the Immigration Office with proof of adoption or legitimation.

Persons who were born abroad and later naturalized as U.S. citizens or who were born in a foreign country to a U.S. citizen (parent or parents) may apply for a certificate of citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Section 341 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Application can be made for this document in the United States at the nearest office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). The INS will issue a certification of citizenship for the person if proof of citizenship is submitted and the person is within the United States. The decision whether to apply for a certificate of citizenship is optional; its possession is not mandatory because a valid U.S. passport or a Form FS-240 has the same evidentiary status.

Reports of Death filed before 1975 are maintained by the National Archives and Records Service, Diplomatic Records Branch, Washington, DC 20408. Requests for such records should be sent directly to that office.

Reports of deaths of persons serving in the Armed Forces of the United States (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, or Coast Guard) or civilian employees of the Department of Defense are not maintained by the U.S. Department of State. In these cases, requests for copies of records should be sent to the National Personnel Records Center (Military Personnel Records), 9700 Page Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100.

To obtain a copy of a Certificate of Witness to Marriage (FS-87) you may write to the address above, the fee is $50.00 per document. As of November 9, 1989 a Consular Officer no longer serves as a witness to marriages performed abroad. Persons married abroad after 1989 may contact the embassy or consulate of the country where the marriage was performed for a certified copy. Foreign marriage documents are not maintained by the Department.

Most, but not all, foreign countries record births and deaths. It is not possible to list in this publication all foreign vital records offices, the charges they make for copies of records, or the information they may require to locate a record. However, most foreign countries will provide certifications of births and deaths occurring within their boundaries.

Persons who need a copy of a foreign birth or death record should contact the Embassy or the nearest Consulate in the U.S. of the country in which the death occurred. Addresses and telephone numbers for these offices are listed in the U.S. Department of State Publication 7846, Foreign Consular Offices in the United States, which is available in many local libraries. Copies of this publication may also be purchased from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

If the Embassy or Consulate is unable to provide assistance, U.S. citizens may obtain assistance by writing to the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520-4818. Aliens residing in the United States may be able to obtain assistance through the Embassy or Consulate of their country of nationality.

From 1904 until 1979, the Canal Zone Government registered all civil acts of birth, death, and marriage in the Canal Zone for U.S. citizens and foreign nationals. Since 1979, the Panama Canal Commission has issued certified copies of these documents in response to requests from the public. On December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal Commission ceased to exist . On December 1, 1999, those records were transferred to Passport Services in the U.S. Department of State, which will provide the certification service just as it does for similar records issued by U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad.

Yes. A Consular Record of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is the equivalent of a birth certificate for American citizens born abroad. The policy for passports also applies for updating a CRBA. No medical documentation is necessary to request a change to CRBA gender marker.

Persons who were not U. S. citizens at birth (born outside of the United States) must present primary evidence to document their citizenship and identity. Secondary, third-level and fourth-level evidence may not be used for such persons.

The following documents are acceptable to establish U.S. citizenship if primary evidence is not available. Identity must also be established using one of the documents listed in WAG 03-01-01-c. Photocopies provided by the client are not acceptable.

*Puerto Rico invalidated birth certificates issued prior to 07/01/10. If an applicant requested medical benefits after 10/31/10 and had not previously established U.S. citizenship using a Puerto Rican birth certificate, the applicant must submit a birth certificate issued on or after 07/01/10 to establish U.S. citizenship or provide other documents as described in WAG 03-01-01-b. If U.S. citizenship was established prior to 10/31/10 for a recipient using a Puerto Rican birth certificate (regardless of issue date) no further verification is needed.

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