Register of birth abroad suggestions

[astronaut 3]

Our appointments are made for both kids for their register of birth abroad and US passports at the Vancouver Consulate.

I'll double check to see what documents are all needed, but always appreciate any advice or suggestions for how to prepare.

Got the long form birth certificates for the kids

will get passport photos

What kind of documentation are they looking for to prove I've lived long enough in the US? (I have lots of documentation, born & raised there for 32 years before moving to Canada.)

[trailmix 77]

Hi,

Well this is the criteria:

"Physically present in the USA for periods totaling five years prior to the child's birth, at least two of which where after their 14th birthday"

Examples they give are:

"Some examples of evidence of physical presence may include accredited school and university transcripts, employment records, utility bills, etc. Acceptance of this evidence will be at the discretion of the consular officer, and depending on the circumstances, the consular officer may ask for additional material".

link

[Boop 0]

I had to account for 5 years after my 14th birthday. I provided my high school and my college transcripts. You could also use utility bills and employment records as previously stated.

[brocku00 1]

Hi there! Well, since my husband did not finish high school, we could not obtain school papers. So the only thing that I had was a print out of his tax filings from the Social Security office. You just walk into one of the SS offices and request a printout of your tax filing history (sorry I can't remember the proper name for it). They print it off (only on one page) and it states the years and how much you claimed. This was our only proof provided to the embassy for our children's application and it was sufficient enough. Hope this helps. Oh yeah, we did this in 2008/9 at the Toronto Embassy.

[trailmix 77]

I had to account for 5 years after my 14th birthday. I provided my high school and my college transcripts. You could also use utility bills and employment records as previously stated.

This should only have been required if your child was born before 1986.

Astronaut, i'm assuming your children were born after 1986, if not, check the derivative citizenship chart here to see which periods you must provide proof for.

[amy83 0]

We were going to file the birth abroad, and then found out you actually dont have to. You can just apply for you childs U.S passport. Thats all we did, it was really easy, we didn't have to go anywhere but the post office to drop off the application with all the required copies of documents. My son and I still live in Canada in the process of CR-1.

[astronaut 3]

Thanks for all of your answers. Everything is in order, completely organized in seperate envelopes. (yeah I'm a bit like Wyatt's torch...like to have lots of proof of US residence documents just in case)

We're doing the register of Birth abroad and the passport applications for the kids at the same appt, which is Wednesday morning. I'll be sure to let you know how it all goes.

Amy83, I read your posts about just getting the passport only. There must have been other supporting documentation you already had, as my instruction form for the passport says they need either a US birth Certificate, or register of birth abroad, etc. Glad it worked out so easily for you though.

Now if the process for the CR1 was as easy!

[coraliesolms 47]

We were going to file the birth abroad, and then found out you actually dont have to. You can just apply for you childs U.S passport. Thats all we did, it was really easy, we didn't have to go anywhere but the post office to drop off the application with all the required copies of documents. My son and I still live in Canada in the process of CR-1.

Amy83.. I was under the SAME assumption, in fact thats what I was TOLD by US border patrol, I went for my interview, and WHAMMO got told they would not issue my visa to me until I got our daughters CRBA. PLEASE DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE!! They are getting very strict about it now, and its cost me almost 2 extra months. Get the CRBA.

As for vancouver consulate, they are SUPER NICE as long as you have all the required documentation:

*Long form birth certificate = not good enough!! You need the "live registration of birth", this you can get overnighted to you from vital statistics.

*Proof of 5 years physical presence in the US (school transcripts etc, you dont have to finish school to get the transcripts, just get the transcripts from the time the US parent was in school).

*Proof of US parents citizenship (passport etc)

I just did all of this in vancouver on the first March, any questions and I will be happy to answer them all

.

[Myopia 93]

We were going to file the birth abroad, and then found out you actually dont have to. You can just apply for you childs U.S passport. Thats all we did, it was really easy, we didn't have to go anywhere but the post office to drop off the application with all the required copies of documents. My son and I still live in Canada in the process of CR-1.

My sons father is american. I was told by someone at the state department to apply for their american passports. The same requirements that are needed for the CRBA are the same.

[coraliesolms 47]

My sons father is american. I was told by someone at the state department to apply for their american passports. The same requirements that are needed for the CRBA are the same.

I was told the same thing by the DoS... however, here I sit waiting for my visa because this isnt the case... at my interview I was told that they would not issue my visa until my daughter had a CRBA... that was 2 months and many tears ago.. PLEASE...get the CRBA

[trailmix 77]

I was told the same thing by the DoS... however, here I sit waiting for my visa because this isnt the case... at my interview I was told that they would not issue my visa until my daughter had a CRBA... that was 2 months and many tears ago.. PLEASE...get the CRBA

Do you mean you had their passports and they still wanted the CRBA?

[coraliesolms 47]

Oh,I misread, if they HAVE proof of american citizenship then thats ok I suppose (there is no better proof than a passport). I was told by DOS that I could take my daughter across on her canadian passport and apply for her US one in the states, so I never did her CRBA.. big mistake. But if you have proof of your childrens US citizenship to take with you to ur visa appt, then you will be ok. The big thing is taking hard proof with you that your children are US citizens, and dont always rely on what the dum dums at the DOS tell you. Even they dont always know the law.

Edited March 29, 2010 by coraliesolms

[neiks 19]

We were going to file the birth abroad, and then found out you actually dont have to. You can just apply for you childs U.S passport. Thats all we did, it was really easy, we didn't have to go anywhere but the post office to drop off the application with all the required copies of documents. My son and I still live in Canada in the process of CR-1.

We did the exact same.

It was suggested by a CBP officer I talked to that we should eventully get a CRBA for our Canadian born son. It's a good back up to have incase his passport ever gets lost and then at least he is "registered" as an American with the consulate.

[amy83 0]

The supporting documents that were needed was my sons canadian birth certificate (long form with both parents info), a copy of our marriage certificate, my husband had to fill out this affidavit of support form (which we got online) and physical presence form, copies of both my husband and my passport as well as birth certificates and drivers license. The info was all in the passport application form. Go to section 2 - where it states other forms of acceptable identification if a report of birth abroad has not been filed. He's had his passport for months now, no issues what so ever. Also keep in mind though when i brought all this info to the post office to submit it, they had never seen anyone apply like that. I was positive I filled everything out correctly and had the appropriate documents that I told her to just send it all in. Less than 2 weeks later we got all the documents back with a passport for my son.

Thanks for all of your answers. Everything is in order, completely organized in seperate envelopes. (yeah I'm a bit like Wyatt's torch...like to have lots of proof of US residence documents just in case)

We're doing the register of Birth abroad and the passport applications for the kids at the same appt, which is Wednesday morning. I'll be sure to let you know how it all goes.

Amy83, I read your posts about just getting the passport only. There must have been other supporting documentation you already had, as my instruction form for the passport says they need either a US birth Certificate, or register of birth abroad, etc. Glad it worked out so easily for you though.

Now if the process for the CR1 was as easy!

[astronaut 3]

Hey there. Just posting that all went well at the Vancouver Consulate last week for the kids' register of birth abroad and passport applications. We arrived about 30 minutes early for our 8:30 appt. Interesting how there are different ques for different reasons to attend the consulate. Although they seemed hesitent to let us in 30 minutes early, they eventually did, searched everything, had to remove jewelry and everything from our pockets, but they were very kind to the kids. It took just over 2 hours. There were many families with children in the consulate. I was so concerned about not bringing my purse and blackberry, that it never occured to me to bring a book or magazine...something for the kids too.

My advice would be to bring more than you need to prove your time of residence in the US when doing this process. The gentlemen reviewing all of the documents said he was hoping I'd also have US school transcripts and letters from previous employers in addition to what I had. In the end, all of my W2's, a statement from the social security administration, and previous marriage/divorce documentation in the US sufficed as proof.

In speaking with two people from the consulate, they seemed very thorough, yet very helpful. Stories were told to me of how nice it was for applicants when the CI1/IR1 department was still there, how USCIS used to come once per week, and how I-130's used to be processed and approved right on the spot at the consulate. Just as we wish those things are still in place, it was evident that those working at the consulate also wish those things were there as a benefit for us as well.

Extra time was even provided to us to discuss the K3 situation, where a supervisor shared frustration that there has never been a formal memo to inform them of the k3's being discontinued.

BTW, there's a brand new hotel just around the corner from the consulate, Coast hotel, which was excellent at $130 per night plus $30 for parking and a 1 minute walk to the consulate. Days inn is fairly close but the neighborhood looked a bit rougher. Marriott is very close, but about $300 per night.

All in all, the process went well. Just read instructions thoroughly prior to attending the appointment, and bring more documentation than you think you may need. You just never know if there's one extra piece of documentation brought "just in case" could be helpful. The workers were very kind. We had a celebratory latte at the Starbucks in the building lobby where the consulate is located when it was all done.