Children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent(s) may have a claim to U.S. citizenship. If the child is under age 18, U.S. citizens eligible to transmit citizenship are required to file for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).  Children who are now age 18 or older are not eligible for a CRBA but may apply for a U.S. passport to claim and document their U.S. citizenship.  The requirements for transmitting citizenship depend on whether the parents were married at the time of birth, which parent is a U.S. citizen, and how long the U.S. citizen parent spent in the U.S. before the child’s birth.  If you have already been documented as a U.S. citizen, either with a CRBA, Certificate of Citizenship, or Certificate of Naturalization, see: First-time passport for an adult already documented as a U.S. citizen.

Requirements to transmit citizenship

Carefully read through the requirements on the CRBA page (they are the same for children over and under age 18) to determine whether your U.S. citizen parent is eligible to transmit citizenship to you:

Do you qualify to pass on citizenship?

Note: To apply for a first time adult passport, both the applicant and his/her U.S. citizen parent must appear in person at the Embassy for the appointment.