Question Regarding Birth Abroad

[Templar21 0]

My daughter was born in September 2011 in Colombia.

I am a US citizen by birth, and I have always lived in the United States. My daughter's mother is a Colombian citizen.

I contacted the US Embassy in Colombia. They referred me to a page that has information about 'Consular Report of Birth Abroad'. I read the info on the website, and my daughter meets the requirements to be a US citizen. I have to fill out all the forms, pay a fee, and then schedule an interview in Colombia. The problem is that I would not be able to attend the interview due to work.

In May, I applied for a I-129F Visa for my daughter's mother. The application was approved, but I am still waiting for the US Embassy to schedule an interview with my daughter's mother. On the application, I put down that my fiance had no children. I asked the US Embassy and they said it was fine. She could just inform the consular officer at the time of the interview.

So I suppose what I am asking if for advice on how to go about obtaining US Citizenship for my daughter. Should I apply for the 'Consular Report of Birth Abroad", pay the fee, quit my job, and go to the interview?

Should I let my fiance go to the interview for her visa, and hope they grant her the visa... which should automatically also grant my daughter a visa to come to the US? If I were to go this route, how would I go about getting US Citizenship for my daughter from US soil? In the time it takes for that, she wouldn't have a SSN, and I am afraid that if she got sick there may be complications in regards to her status when admitting her to a hospital. Maybe I am worrying too much.

I don't want my daughter to be a citizen by naturalization. I want her to be a citizen by birth. I am just unsure on what I should do. I don't want to quit my job if I don't have to do that, but I also don't want to get my daughter here only to find out that I have to go back to Colombia... and since my fiance wouldn't be able to go back for one year there would be another problem.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[diath 6]

I don't really know how this works but my daughter was born in the UK. I am German, my husband is American.

We had to do the same with the "'Consular Report of Birth Abroad" but never had to go to an interview. The SSN she got really fast, like 3-4 weeks.

If I was you, I would not quit the job but hope and pray that you are able to get time off and go to the interview or talk to the US Embassy there and see if there is another way around the interview.

I understand that you don't want your daughter to have the US citizenship through Naturalization, which would be stupid since she is American because of you being a US Citizen.

I'm sorry I am not a big help

[Penguin_ie 5,993]

Your daughter cannot get a visa, because she is a citizen by birth. In most countries, they will not allow a K1/ CR-1 visa to be issued to the mother of a USC child until CRBA is being done. I would contact the embassy and check if either:

a) they can make an exception and allow you not to be there (you may need to submit to a costly DNA test and/ or submit a notarised statement saying you are the dad).

b) The two interviews (K1 and CRBA) can be done on the same day or at least close to eachother so you can take a week's unpaid leave and fly down there.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

My daughter was born in September 2011 in Colombia.

I am a US citizen by birth, and I have always lived in the United States. My daughter's mother is a Colombian citizen.

I contacted the US Embassy in Colombia. They referred me to a page that has information about 'Consular Report of Birth Abroad'. I read the info on the website, and my daughter meets the requirements to be a US citizen. I have to fill out all the forms, pay a fee, and then schedule an interview in Colombia. The problem is that I would not be able to attend the interview due to work.

In May, I applied for a I-129F Visa for my daughter's mother. The application was approved, but I am still waiting for the US Embassy to schedule an interview with my daughter's mother. On the application, I put down that my fiance had no children. I asked the US Embassy and they said it was fine. She could just inform the consular officer at the time of the interview. What???? How can you put down that she has no children when she is the mother of your child???? You need to correct this. She has a child.

So I suppose what I am asking if for advice on how to go about obtaining US Citizenship for my daughter. Should I apply for the 'Consular Report of Birth Abroad", pay the fee, quit my job, and go to the interview? You don't need to quite your job. Just take a week vacation (or a few days off) and fly to Columbia to get it done.

Should I let my fiance go to the interview for her visa, and hope they grant her the visa... which should automatically also grant my daughter a visa to come to the US? Your daughter is a US citizen by birth. This means she needs a US passport to enter the US. She does not qualify for any visa. You need the CRBA. You need the US passport for her. There is no way around getting the CRBA and US passport.

If I were to go this route, how would I go about getting US Citizenship for my daughter from US soil? You can't go this route.

In the time it takes for that, she wouldn't have a SSN, and I am afraid that if she got sick there may be complications in regards to her status when admitting her to a hospital. Maybe I am worrying too much.

I don't want my daughter to be a citizen by naturalization. Your daughter can't naturalize, so this is a non-issue.

I want her to be a citizen by birth. She is a US citizen by birth. You just need to file the CRBA and apply for a US passport for her in order for her to enter the US. All US citizens are required to have a US passport to enter the US.

I am just unsure on what I should do. I don't want to quit my job if I don't have to do that, but I also don't want to get my daughter here only to find out that I have to go back to Colombia... and since my fiance wouldn't be able to go back for one year there would be another problem.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You need to file the CRBA and US passport for your US citizen daughter. There is no way around this.

E-mail the US Embassy CRBA unit to see if you need to be present at the interview. At least one parent must be present according to the US Embassy in Bogata's website. It doesn't mention if the parent must be a US citizen. Contact the Embassy to see if you need to be at the interview.

http://bogota.usembassy.gov/baapply.html

Edited October 17, 2011 by Jojo92122

[felo391971 4]

1)I have to fill out all the forms, pay a fee, and then schedule an interview in Colombia. The problem is that I would not be able to attend the interview due to work.

A)You my friend must summit the report of BAB Pronto actually yesterday.As you wait for

your Girl Appoitment from the embassy

a)You could take one of the following Routes

- Best one =To Go and report the Birth w. your fiance Yo return the forms at the

Emabssy in Bogota or if she is from the coast the Consular Office in

Barranquilla can do this also.

- You Will need the following Documents Regarding your route :

.Copy of your Birth Certificate

.Copy of your Passaport with the entry to CO specialy the trip

where the baby was consive .

.Colombian Birth Certficate Listing you as the Father of the Minnor.

.The form of BAB and the fees including the US Passaport fee for baby.

Note : That was the route i use wend reporting my Son. The US Passaport got to

the MOM w. US BC in Colombia . I got his SS Card.

b) You can't make it for the First Process.

- More Complicated = After getting all the documents on the first part and

send the Money to your girl . You MUst Also get a Notarize Letter Explaning

the reasons of why you are not doing this in person and how you are working on

getting your Fiance to the states to get marry include all NVC Numbers Copies of

all your approvals ect.

The second more complicated part will still dont garrantee and USC for your baby girl however it will help on the questioning they may have in the Embassy .

I did the first one before Marry my now wife and i still got question and delay on my SON US Passaport .

One final supper important Note as of today the only person that will be traveling to the US from Colombia if approved is your Fiance the US goverment have no clue about you baby girl . MUST finish your Baby girl before her interview . Or you can let your fiance go for interview and then wait untill you finish you baby girl paperwork before they can come together to the US .

All the best to you and your Family

Regards

F

Edited October 17, 2011 by felo391971

[Templar21 0]

On the I-129F, I put down that my fiance had no children because that was the truth. The baby was born in September, and I filed the I-129F in May.

I emailed the US Embassy in Colombia about that issue specifically. Here was their reply:

Dear Mr. Ashe,

Thank you for your inquiry. Do not worry about the fact that your child is not mentioned on the I-129F. Your fiancé can simply inform the consular officer at the time of the interview.

Since the child is yours, you will want to register her with American Citizen Services at our embassy and apply for a passport for her. We are providing a link with more information for you: http://bogota.usembassy.gov/service/births-abroad.html

If we may be of further assistance on this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at IVBogota@state.gov.

Kindly,

Immigrant Visa Unit

m

This email is UNCLASSIFIED.

It just never had crossed my mind that they may not grant my daughter a visa until last night, so I started looking around.

[Templar21 0]

I emailed the US Embassy about the CRBA and passport issue this morning. I am still waiting to hear back from them, but I have started filling out the forms and gathering the documents I need for the CRBA in the meantime. I will very likely have to quit my job. I took vacation days off to go to Colombia when my daughter was born, and I seriously doubt they will let me take leave from work again.

Anyway, thanks you everyone for the replies.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

On the I-129F, I put down that my fiance had no children because that was the truth. The baby was born in September, and I filed the I-129F in May.

I emailed the US Embassy in Colombia about that issue specifically. Here was their reply:

Dear Mr. Ashe,

Thank you for your inquiry. Do not worry about the fact that your child is not mentioned on the I-129F. Your fiancé can simply inform the consular officer at the time of the interview.

Since the child is yours, you will want to register her with American Citizen Services at our embassy and apply for a passport for her. We are providing a link with more information for you: http://bogota.usembassy.gov/service/births-abroad.html

If we may be of further assistance on this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact us at IVBogota@state.gov.

Kindly,

Immigrant Visa Unit

m

This email is UNCLASSIFIED.

It just never had crossed my mind that they may not grant my daughter a visa until last night, so I started looking around.

Thank you for clarifying. That makes complete sense now.

Sometimes people leave their children off the immigration forms because the children are not immigrating with them. The mistakenly believe they do not need to list their children unless the children are immigrating. I thought you might have made a similar mistake.

[Jojo92122 1,924]

I emailed the US Embassy about the CRBA and passport issue this morning. I am still waiting to hear back from them, but I have started filling out the forms and gathering the documents I need for the CRBA in the meantime. I will very likely have to quit my job. I took vacation days off to go to Colombia when my daughter was born, and I seriously doubt they will let me take leave from work again.

Anyway, thanks you everyone for the replies.

Don't quit your job. If you quit, you will make it harder for you and your wife when it comes time to file the I-864 for her adjustment of status. You may not be able to be the sole sponsor if you don't have any income. Ask your employer to let you take unpaid leave.

Hopefully, your fiancee will be able to take your child to the CRBA interview without you.

Please update us on your cases. Godspeed.

[Templar21 0]

I have another question. This is regarding the forms I must fill out.

On the form for the CRBA, it says to put my daughter's name as it appears on the local birth certificate. Latin American countries record the paternal and maternal surnames, so she has 2. If I put down both, I am worried they will make her official surname the same as the maternal surname, which would be wrong in the US.

I am kind of unsure about what to do.

[felo391971 4]

use Both last Names and write them in Spanish Form

Example Mari templar21 rodriguez that should not be a problem . Ididnt have a problem w. my son

Good Luck

F