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Birth
Children Born in Spain and Andorra
Eligibility for a CRBA
Consular Report of Birth Abroad
Dual Nationality
Request Copies of Previous Reports
Additional Resources
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Children Born in Spain and Andorra to U.S. Parents

Children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent may have a claim to U.S. citizenship.  To see whether your child qualifies for U.S. citizenship, please see ELIGIBILITY FOR A CRBA below.

The U.S. Embassy, U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona, or any of the five U.S. Consular Agencies in Spain can accept applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and U.S. passports for children who may have a claim to U.S. citizenship.

We strongly recommend that you report the birth of your child as soon as possible after the child’s birth.  It is not possible to obtain a CRBA for a child over the age of 18.  In that case, they will have to prove transmission of citizenship as part of their passport application.

Even if your child holds nationality of a country other than the U.S., if your child has a claim to U.S. citizenship, he or she must use a valid U.S. passport to enter and exit the United States.  So, please make sure that you also follow the instructions on our website for how to apply for your child’s passport under the Passports for Children section.

When you have all the required documents ready (completed forms and supporting documentation) you must book an appointment in which to present the applications for your child’s CRBA and passport.

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Eligibility for a CRBA

There are various circumstances under which a child born abroad acquires American citizenship at birth:

Child born in wedlock to two U.S. citizens: The child acquires citizenship provided that, prior to the birth of the child, at least one of the parents had, prior to the birth of the child, been a resident in the United States or one of its outlying possessions. (No specific period of residence is required.)

Child born in wedlock to a U.S. citizen parent (after November 14, 1986) and a noncitizen parent. The child acquires citizenship provided that the U.S. citizen parent, prior to the birth of the child, had been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for five years, of which at least two years were after the age of fourteen.

Child born in wedlock to a U.S. citizen parent (before November 14, 1986) and a noncitizen parent: The child acquires citizenship provided that the U.S. citizen parent, prior to the birth of the child, had been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for ten years, of which at least five years were after the age of fourteen.

A person born abroad out-of-wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother and noncitizen father on or before June 11, 2017, may acquire U.S. citizenship under Section 309(c) of the INA if the mother was a U.S. citizen at the time of the child’s birth and if the mother was physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of one year prior to the child’s birth.

A person born abroad out-of-wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother and noncitizen father on or after June 12, 2017, per the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Sessions v. Morales-Santana, may acquire U.S. citizenship at birth if the mother was a U.S. citizen at the time of the person’s birth and, prior to the birth of the child, was physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a period of five years, two after the age of fourteen under Section 301(g) of the INA.

Child born out of wedlock to a U.S. Citizen father: The child acquires citizenship provided that the American citizen father, prior to the birth of the child, had been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for five years, of which at least two years were after the age of fourteen (or ten years total and five after age of fourteen if child born before 1986) and:

  • A blood relationship between the child and the father is established by clear and convincing evidence;
  • The father signs a sworn statement agreeing to provide financial support for the child until s/he reaches the age of 18 years; and
  • The child is under the age of 18;
  • The father provides a written statement acknowledging paternity;
  • The child is legitimated under local law; or
  • Paternity is established by a competent court before the child attains the age of 18 years.

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Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) Forms and Supporting Documents Requiered

The online eCRBA allows U.S. citizen parents to complete a CRBA application online, upload all required documents, and submit payment prior to the in-person interview.  Completing the application online helps in the processing speed of the CRBA.

eCRBA Steps:

  • The following supporting documents are required:
    • Child’s Spanish Birth Certificate (“literal” long-form).  Submit original plus one copy.  Please provide an informal translation (one copy) if the document is not in English.
    • Marriage certificate (if applicable) submit original plus one copy. Please provide an informal translation (one copy) if the document is not in English.
    • Divorce decree(s) (if applicable) submit original plus one copy. Please provide an informal translation (one copy) if the document is not in English.
    • Evidence of U.S. citizen parent’s physical presence*. Submit original documents. No copies necessary.
    • Evidence of U.S. Parent’s citizenship and valid ID. Present original plus 1 copy
    • Valid ID for non-U.S. citizen parent. Present original plus 1 copy.
  • Once you complete the online application and submit payment, you will then be directed to schedule your appointment in Madrid or Barcelona. To schedule your appointment in a consular agency, you may contact them directly for an appointment. Please schedule your appointment at least 72 hours after payment submission.  This provides time for your payment to be processed prior to your CRBA interview.  Be sure NOT to make another (or duplicate) payment for a CRBA ($100) at the Embassy.
  • Attend your scheduled in-person interview with the originals of the uploaded documents.  Original documents will be returned to you after accepting your application.  You must provide English translations for all foreign language documents. The child must be present at the time of application. Generally, both parents also attend the interview.

Important Notes

  • It is critical that the U.S. citizen parent carefully details all their physical presence in the United States in the eCRBA application.  This means that for each trip outside of the United States, that time should not be reflected in the list of days present in the United States.  Lack of attention to the dates listed will require processing to be suspended until they are corrected.
  • The presence of the child is required at the time of the scheduled interview.  Both parents and the child are required if you want to apply for the U.S. passport in the same appointment.
  • You must complete the eCRBA process 72 hours before your appointment and bring originals of the documents you uploaded. Please then see guidance for applying for the first U.S. passport below.

* Commonly submitted documents include school and university transcripts, medical records, military records, employment records, and tax returns. 

Return of CRBAs:

All CRBAs will be returned from Madrid or Barcelona.  Please see instructions for generating a return DHL label and provide a printed copy of the label at the time of your in-person appointment.  See Return of documents.


Other Important Information

Social Security Card applications must be completed and submitted separately to the Federal Benefits Unit.

Please note that an application for a Social Security Number can only be submitted after receiving the original Consular Report of Birth Abroad and Passport. To obtain a Social Security Number for your child.

Need Help?

We are here to help!

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Dual Nationality

Dual nationality is the simultaneous possession of two citizenships.  The Supreme Court of the United States has stated that dual nationality is “long recognized in the law” and that “a person may have and exercise rights of nationality in two countries and be subject to the responsibilities of both…”

Dual nationality results from the fact that there is no uniform rule of international law relating to the acquisition of nationality.  Each country has its own laws on the subject, and its nationality is conferred upon individuals on the basis of its own independent domestic policy.  Individuals may have dual nationality not by choice but by automatic operation of these different and sometimes conflicting laws.  For example, a child born abroad to U.S. citizens may acquire at birth not only American citizenship but also the nationality of the country in which he was born.  Similarly, a child born in the United States to foreigners may acquire at birth both U.S. citizenship and a foreign nationality.

The automatic acquisition or retention of a foreign nationality does not affect U.S. citizenship; however, the acquisition of a foreign nationality upon one’s own application or the application of a duly authorized agent may cause loss of U.S. citizenship.  United States law does not contain any provisions requiring U.S. citizens who are born with dual nationality to choose one nationality or the other when they become adults.  While recognizing the existence of dual nationality and permitting Americans to have other nationalities, the U.S. Government does not endorse dual nationality as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause.  Claims of other countries upon dual-national U.S. citizens often place them in situations where their obligations to one country are in conflict with the laws of the other.  In addition, their dual nationality may hamper efforts to provide diplomatic and consular protection to them when they are abroad.  It generally is considered that while dual nationals are in the other country of which they are citizens that country has a predominant claim on them.

Like Americans who possess only U.S. citizenship, dual national U.S. citizens owe allegiance to the United States and are obliged to obey its laws and regulations.  In cases where dual nationals encounter difficulty in a foreign country of which they are citizens, the ability of U.S. Foreign Service posts to provide assistance may be quite limited since many foreign countries may not recognize a dual national’s claim to U.S. citizenship.

Except in certain circumstances, U.S. citizens must use U.S. passports when entering or leaving the United States.  Dual nationals may be required by their other country of citizenship to enter and leave that country using its passport.  Complying with this requirement does not endanger the dual national’s U.S. citizenship.

Generally, persons who do not wish to maintain dual nationality may renounce the citizenship they do not want.  Information on renouncing a foreign nationality may be obtained from the foreign country’s Embassies and Consulates or from the appropriate governmental agency in that country.  Information on renouncing U.S. citizenship may be obtained from U.S. Embassies and Consulates and the Office of Citizens Consular Services, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520.

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Request Copies of Previous Reports

Obtaining a copy of a previously issued Consular Report of Birth Abroad

Consular Reports of Birth Abroad are sent to the National Archives in the United States, and not kept at the Embassy/Consulate General.  To request additional copies, or a replacement copy, you must contact the Department of State in Washington, DC.

U.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records Section
44132 Mercure Circle
Sterling, VA 20166-1213

For more information on how to request copies please see Documentation of U.S. Citizens Born Abroad  on the State Department website.

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Additional Resources

DS-2029: Application for Consular Report of Birth 
Translation of Birth Certificate (PDF 135K)

U.S. Citizen Services