Public Services

Obtaining Vital Records

Consular Reports On File With The Department Of State

Consular Report of Birth Abroad

A document issued by an American embassy or consulate reflecting the facts of a birth abroad of a child acquiring U.S. citizenship at birth through one or both parents. This record, also known as an FS-240, along with the Certification of Birth, DS-1350, are acceptable as proof of birth and U.S. citizenship for all legal purposes.

Report of the Death of an American Citizen

A document issued by an American embassy or consulate reflecting the facts of a death abroad of an American citizen. The document is based upon the local death certificate.

Certificate of Witness to Marriage

A document issued by an American embassy or consulate reflecting the facts of a marriage abroad in which at least one party is an American Citizen. A consular officer must have attended the ceremony. This accommodation was discontinued in 1987.

How To Apply For A Certified Copy Of A Report

Submit a signed and notarized written request including all pertinent facts of the occasion along with a copy of the requester's valid photo identification. Only the subject, parent, or legal guardian may request a birth record.

The following information must be included in the request:

1. General Information

1. Date of request
2. Purpose of request
3. Document Requesting (Certificate of Birth, Report of Death, Certificate of Witness of Marriage, or Certification of No Record)
4. Number of documents requesting
5. Current mailing address and daytime telephone number

2. Facts of Birth, Death, or Marriage

1. Name (at birth/death/marriage)
2. Name after adoption (if applicable)
3. Date of birth/death/marriage
4. Country of birth/death/marriage
5. Father's name
6. Father's date and place (state/country) of birth
7. Mother's name
8. Mother's date and place (state/country) of birth

3. Passport Information

For Passport used to first enter the U.S.:

1. Name of bearer
2. Date of issuance
3. Passport number
4. Date of inclusion (if passport was not issued to the subject)

For Current passport:

1. Name of bearer
2. Date of issuance
3. Passport number

4. Fees

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240) - $30.00 - ONE REPLACEMENT ONLY (Request for a FS-240 must include the original FS-240 or a notarized affidavit attesting to its disposition.)

For the following documents, the fee is $30.00 for the first copy and $20.00 for each additional copy:

• Certificate of Birth (DS-1350)
• Report of Death
• Certificate of Witness to Marriage
• Certification of No Record

Check or money order must be signed, dated, and made payable to "Department of State."
Remittance must be payable in U.S. dollars through a U.S. bank.
Do not send cash.

5. Additional Requirements

1. Notarized signature
2. A copy of a valid identification of the requester, such as a driver's license, military ID, or passport.
3. If you possess a Report of Birth/Death or Certificate of Witness to Marriage, please enclose a copy to aid in our file search.
4. If you are requesting an amendment or correction to a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, please include certified copies of all documents appropriate for effecting the change (i.e., foreign birth certificate, marriage certificate, court ordered adoption or name change, birth certificates of adopting or legitimating parents, etc.). The original or replacement FS-240, or a notarized affidavit concerning its whereabouts also must be included.

Submit request to:

U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Vital Records Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20522-1705

Turnaround Time

Most consular vital records must be retrieved from off-site repositories, including the National Archives. Thus, the time it takes varies greatly based on the type of record and date of occurrence, making it difficult to give a definite timeframe. However, in most cases, turnaround is four to eight weeks.

Expedited Service

Overnight delivery can save about ten days processing time, but there is no way to reduce the retrieval time. Overnight return via Federal Express is available for an additional $10.00 or the requester may provide a pre-paid airbill for the carrier of choice.

Additional Information

The Vital Records Section can be reached at (202) 955-0307.