Your Child, an American Citizen
Applying for a Report of Birth, U.S. Passport, and SSN
Congratulations!
You already are, or soon will be, the parent of a child who may be entitled to U.S. citizenship. You should report the birth to the Embassy as soon as possible.
Special assistance is available for service members in Korea. Your legal office or the Registrar's office at the 121st General Hospital can help you to prepare the DS-2029 and DS-11 forms, and advise you about obtaining other documents you need. When the forms and documents are ready, submit them to a USFK passport acceptance agent, or to the Embassy by mail, courier, or in person (see above).
The Embassy and the U.S. military have set up three courier offices at Camp Casey (for all of Area 1), Camp Henry (Daegu), Osan Air Force Base, and Yongsan Garrison to handle applications, normally through a base legal office or an Army Community Service Office.
It is important to start this process as soon as possible after your child is born. To travel abroad, whether urgent and unexpected or planned, your child will need a passport. In addition, Korean Immigration requires parents of U.S. citizen children to obtain a Korean visa in the child's passport within 30 days of the child's birth, if the child will remain in Korea for more than 30 days. Failure to register the child for a Korean visa could result in a fine by Korean Immigration.
Your child is entitled to U.S. citizenship if s/he has:
Two U.S. citizen parents, who were married to each other at the time of birth, if one of the parents lived in the U.S. prior to the birth.
One U.S. citizen and one alien parent who were married to each other at the time of birth, if the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. for a minimum of five years before the birth, two years after age 14.
Special rules apply if only the father is a U.S. citizen and the parents married within six months of the birth (see below).
You are encouraged to apply for your child’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240), U.S. passport, and social security number. Most parents choose to apply for all three at the same time.
Only the child's parents or legal guardian may apply on the child's behalf. The application(s) must be signed before an U.S. consular officer or a designated military official. Your child is required to be present when you sign the application(s).
Report of Birth:
Once we determine that your child is a U.S. citizen, we will issue your child a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a document that serves as proof of citizenship and can be used in future passport applications.
U.S. Passport:
Most parents choose to apply for a U.S. passport at the same time as the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). Processing times will vary on a case-by-case basis but typically require two to three weeks once you have submitted all of the necessary documents.
Social Security number:
The application for the Report of Birth includes an application for a Social Security card. Your child's Social Security card will be sent to you directly by the Social Security Administration. Please allow 6-8 weeks for the card to arrive.
Processing times for your child’s Report of Birth and passport vary on a case-by-case basis but typically require ten days to two weeks once you have submitted all of the necessary documents. You may come to the Embassy to pick up the finished Report of Birth and passport or take advantage of a courier delivery service and avoid another trip.
The following documents are required:
- Evidence of your child’s birth – original and two copies.
- Evidence of U.S. citizenship of the parent(s) – original and two copies.
- Evidence of parents' marriage, if they are married – original and one copy. Evidence of legal termination of previous marriages,
- if applicable - original.
- Form DS-2029/SS-5, Application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
- Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport
- Photos of your child (2”x2” – white background)
- Fees: $150.00 (dollars or won or by credit card). Please pay when you come in for an interview.
- Evidence of the American parent’s physical presence in the U.S. for five years if only one parent is a U.S. citizen.
- Confirmation of paternity if the father is the only U.S. citizen and the parents are not married.
- Additional evidence if requested.
Each of these requirements is explained in more detail below.
Evidence of birth:
This can be an original U.S. military hospital or Korean hospital birth certificate. A Korean certificate must be signed and sealed by the doctor or the hospital and must be accompanied by an English translation. Although the hospital birth certificate is not proof of citizenship, it is still an important document. You should obtain several copies and keep them in a safe place.
Please Note: Hospitals in the U.S. sometimes issue a commemorative "certificate of birth" which often has the baby's footprints. This hospital-issued certificate is not proof of citizenship. Certified birth certificates are issued by the State or County government, not a hospital.
Evidence of U.S. citizenship of the parent(s):
This can be one of the following:
- Passport
- Birth Certificate
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States
- Certificate of Naturalization
- Certificate of Citizenship
Evidence of citizenship documents must be either an original or a copy certified by the issuing agency. A photocopy or a "true copy" cannot be accepted.
Evidence of parents' marriage, if they are married:
This must be an original or certified copy of the marriage certificate issued by a city, state, or foreign country.
Evidence of legal termination of previous marriages:
You must submit original divorce or annulment decrees or death certificates. Certified copies are also acceptable. For a Korean citizen, the Family Census Register is acceptable proof. An English translation must be included (the translation can be informal).
| Follow this link for information on obtaining vital records, such as birth, death and marriage certificates. |
Application form for Report of Birth:
Form DS-2029/SS-5, Application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Application form for Passport:
A parent or legal guardian must complete the DS-11 Application for a U.S. Passport. The application must be signed before a consular officer. Forms are available on our website: http://seoul.usembassy.gov/childs_first_passport.html Acrobat Reader is required to view forms on your computer. The latest Acrobat software is available for a free download. Please note that the back side of the DS-11 form includes instructions for use in the U.S. which do not apply abroad (for instance, expedited processing is available in the U.S. only).
Photos of your child for the passport application:
One 2" x 2" full-face color or black/white photographs must accompany the DS-11. The background must be plain white and should not show parents or parents' hands. The baby's eyes must be open. Polaroid photo cannot be used. The photo must be 2 inches by 2 inches with the face size as specified on the DS-11 passport application.
Application Fee:
The fees are $85.00 for the passport and $65.00 for the Consular Report of Birth, for a total of $150.00. We accept most credit cards, U.S. dollars, won, or traveler's checks. We cannot accept personal checks. The application fee can be paid when you come in for an interview.
Come to the Embassy – both parents and child:
You must bring your child to the U.S. Embassy or a U.S. military passport acceptance agency in order to complete the CRBA and passport applications. The applications must be signed by both parents before an U.S. consular officer or a designated military official. Only the child's parents or legal guardian may apply on the child's behalf.
The State Department requires the consent of both parents for the issuance of passports to U.S. citizens under age 16. If only one parent can sign the application(s) before a consular officer or military passport acceptance agent, please carefully review the information on this web site before you apply for a passport for your baby. There are several special requirements.
Confirmation of physical presence in the U.S. of the U.S. citizen parent, if the other parent is not a U.S. citizen:
If only one parent is a U.S. citizen and the other is not, the U.S. citizen parent must provide evidence of his or her actual presence in the U.S. for five years (two of them after the age of 14) before the birth.
Evidence can include:
- U.S. school records and/or university transcripts (not diplomas)
- Letter from U.S. employer(s) stating work period dates and location(s) of employment in the U.S. and W-2s or tax returns.
- Passports with U.S. and foreign entry stamps and Korean Immigration Entry and Exit Certificate.
- LES or DD-214 (for military).
- Government or military service records.
- Evidence of having been the unmarried dependent of a U.S. government employee stationed abroad.
You may also submit secondary evidence, such as utility bills; rental or lease agreements for a U.S. residence; business or home ownership documentation; or payroll records.
If the parents are not married and the mother is a U.S. citizen, she must present evidence of one year's continual physical presence in the U.S.
Confirmation of paternity if the father is the only U.S. citizen and the parents are not married:
If the child's American father is not married to the alien mother, or if he married the mother after the child's birth, or if he married the mother within the months prior to the child’s birth, both parents must submit sworn statements acknowledging that they are the natural parents of the child. These statements must be signed in person by the parents before a consular officer or a designated military official.
If the child's American father is not married to the alien mother, or if he married the mother after the child's birth, or if he married the mother within six months prior to the child’s birth, the U.S. citizen father also must supply the following:
- If he is in the U.S. military service: military orders and a service record extract (signed by an official custodian of service records) showing he was assigned to the country where the mother was residing at the time of conception.
- If he is a civilian: his U.S. passport showing entry and exit stamps, Korean Immigration records, employment records, or other evidence of his presence in the same country as the mother at the time of conception.
Additionally, if the biological parents had been married for less than six months at the time of the child’s birth: the U.S. citizen father must sign a sworn affidavit of paternity (the form is available at the Embassy, military legal offices and on-line). The affidavit must be signed in person by the father before a consular officer or a designated military official. If the child was born out of wedlock: a sworn affidavit from the U.S. citizen father agreeing to provide financial support until the child reaches the age of 18. (The form is available at the Embassy, military legal offices and on-line). The father must sign the affidavit before a consular officer or a designated military official. This is not required if the parents married each other after the child’s birth or if the child has been legitimated under the laws of the father's place of legal residence in the U.S.
Children Age 15 and Younger: A person applying for a U.S. passport for a child age 15 and younger must demonstrate that both parents consent to the issuance of a passport to the child or that the applying parent has sole authority to obtain the passport. Please review the information on the web site before you apply for a passport for a child age 15 and younger.
Submission Guidance:
In Person
Once you have all your documents, both parents- along with the child- must come to the ACS Unit at the Embassy. When you arrive at the ACS Unit, please take a number. When your number is called, go directly to window 102 and submit your documents. Upon receipt of your documents, you will be asked to pay for the applications and to wait for an interview with an Officer.
The ACS Unit is open to the public 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday. We are closed Wednesday afternoons and on both U.S. and Korean holidays.
Some cases may require additional evidence. These additional items, along with any missing documents, will be explained to you with an itemized list indicating the document necessary to complete your child's applications.
Your application for a Consular Report of Birth also serves as an application to obtain your child's Social Security number. His/her Social Security number is assigned by the regional Social Security office in Manila. The Social Security card will be mailed directly to you, though processing takes several months. If you have not received your child's Social Security number and need to file U.S. federal income taxes, please contact the IRS directly for advice on how best to proceed.
The final decision on all matters relating to Korean law, including immigration law, rests with the Korean authorities and not with the U.S. Embassy. The information below is a guide to obtaining a Korean visa for your child. In cases where our general information conflicts with that published by the Korean authorities, their requirements are controlling.
If your child will remain in Korea for more than 30 days after the birth, you must obtain a Korean visa. If your child will depart Korea within 30 days of birth, no Korean visa is needed. If you are unable to obtain a Consular Report of Birth and your child's first passport within 30 days of birth, you should report your child's birth to Korean Immigration anyway. Bring the hospital birth certificate, information on your status in Korea from your school or employer, and your own passport and valid Korean visa. Korean Immigration will create a file on your child and then complete processing at a later date once you've secured the baby's U.S. passport. Korean Immigration may still impose a fine for failure to complete registration within the allotted 30 days.
SOFA: Requirements for your child's Korean visa vary if one or both of the parents are in SOFA status. Contact your unit legal office for additional information and assistance. Also, if you are a U.S. military service member, you must obtain a SOFA stamp for your child from the Korean Immigration office serving your area. If you do not arrange for the visa and SOFA stamp within 30 days, Korean Immigration may levy a fine that must be paid before the child can leave the country. Your child's visa or SOFA stamps are your responsibility. While the Embassy can provide some information about Korean visa regulations, we cannot intervene with Korean Immigration on your behalf. Military employees can contact the Administration Section of the 121st Hospital, their own Personnel Offices, or Army Community Services for assistance or information.
The Embassy cannot provide replacement or extra copies of the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240). Additional copies are available only by mail by writing to:
U.S. Department of State
Vital Records Section
Passport Services
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 510
Washington, D.C. 20522-1705
A written request must be notarized and must include a copy of valid photo identification of the requester. The written request must include:
full name of child at birth (plus any adoptive names)
date and place of birth
names of parents
serial number, if known, of the FS-240 (on those issued after November 1, 1990) if known
any available passport information
signature of requester and
notarized affidavit for a replacement FS-240 (if applicable)
The fee for an FS-240 is $30, $20 each additional copy . Make check or bank draft drawn on a bank in the United States, or money order, payable to the "Department of State." The Department will assume no responsibility for cash lost in the mail. Documents will be provided to the person who is the subject of the Report of Birth, the subject’s parents, the subject’s legal guardian, authorized government agency, or a person who submits written authorization from the subject of the Report of Birth.
General Information
Report of Birth
