Skip Global Navigation to Main Content
  •  
Skip Breadcrumb Navigation
Skip Left Navigation
Birth of U.S. Citizen in Kenya
 

Birth of a U.S. Citizen in Kenya

Information on acquisition of U.S. citizenship by a child born abroad

The American Citizen Services section accepts applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad by appointment only.

General Information

The Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (CRBA) documents the birth of a United States citizen in a foreign country. It is accepted by all U.S. Government agencies as proof of a child's U.S. citizenship. Although not technically a birth certificate (which can only be issued by the local jurisdiction), the CRBA can be used in the U.S. in the same way as a birth certificate issued by a city or county registrar's office. You may apply for a child's U.S. passport at the same time you apply for the CRBA. It cannot be prepared if the child is 18 years of age or older at the time the application is made.

Most, but not all, children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent, are eligible to be documented as U.S. citizens through issuance of a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and U.S. passport. 

 Please note that we can approve or deny CRBA applications only for children born in Kenya. If a child was born in another country, we can only collect the application and supporting documents and forward them to the U.S. Embassy in that country for adjudication.

Procedure

To improve our service to you, we are changing the way we now accept CRBA applications.   We ask that you complete all the forms below and come to the Embassy to submit the packet of forms any Monday or Wednesday from 9:00-11:00 a.m.   As a reminder, we are closed on all Kenyan and American holidays as well as the last Wednesday of every month. 

The ACS unit will inspect your documents and inform you if any items are missing.  After that initial visit, we will schedule a follow-up appointment to meet with a Consular Officer to obtain a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), a U.S. passport, and a Social Security number for your child.

 A – FORMS REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:       
FORMS COMPLETED BUT NOT SIGNED

 

B – FORMS TO BE COMPLETED IF ONE OF THE PARENTS IS NOT IN KENYA

FORMS COMPLETED AND SIGNED BEFORE A NOTARY: 

                                    
 C - ALSO REQUIRED:   

  • The child’s birth certificate - Hospital Birth notifications are not acceptable.    
  • Original marriage certificate for parents, if married
  • Original divorce certificate or death certificate, if either parent was previously married.   
  • One 2” x 2” photographs, that meet the requirements listed on the back of the application. 
  •  Parent’s original U.S. passports and notarized Naturalization Certificates (if applicable)

Parents must sign the child’s PASSPORT APPLICATION form in the presence of a Consular Officer –DO NOT SIGN BEFOREHAND

This packet of documents will be screened by our staff while you wait.  We will inform you in writing, before you leave, of any missing documents and will also give you an appointment letter for the CRBA interview.  We are currently scheduling appointments one to three days after a review of the file if all documents are in order. 

 Please also note the following:

  • Please include the passports for both parents and any other identifying documents for the non-American parent (if applicable)
  • Please do not leave your passports with our office
  • You need not present the child until the actual CRBA interview

 When you return for your child’s interview, you will need to bring:

  • The child
  • Both parents (if in Kenya)
  • All original documents
  • The fee for the CRBA ($100) and child’s passport ($105) — this totals $205

If any document(s) were missing or any application form during the drop off day, please bring them along as requested on the appointment date to enable us complete your CRBA process.

We need your help in ensuring quality customer service for all applicants.  This new procedure is designed to ensure that each customer is fully prepared for their CRBA appointment.

 Please use this document checklist to help you prepare. 

If you have any questions about this new procedure or the documents required, please send an E-mail to Kenya_ACS@state.gov.  

Note: Documents in a language other than English must be translated to English.  Bring both the original translation with you to your appointment.

 DNA Examinations

In some instances it is not possible to conclusively determine the U.S. citizenship of a child at birth. In these cases, the Consular Officer may request a DNA exam to establish parentage. This will involve the supervised taking of saliva samples from the child and the father and/or mother. Please do not conduct independent DNA exams, as only results from Embassy ordered tests can be used to determine a genetic relationship for citizenship purposes.

DNA questions: NairobiDNA@state.gov, 020-363-6023