AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES - ABUJA

Birth Abroad

Reporting of Birth Abroad

Consular

Consular Reports of Birth Abroad are done by appointments only.  Please schedule your appointment here https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=ABU&appcode=1

Children born abroad to U.S. citizen parents may have a claim to U.S. citizenship. If the child was born in Nigeria and parent(s) meets the transmission requirement, a child's birth may be reported at this Embassy and a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a U.S. passport will be issued to him or her.  Parents may also wish to apply for a Social Security number at the Embassy.

We strongly recommend that the birth of your child be reported to this Embassy as soon as possible after the birth. It is not possible to report the birth of a child over the age of 18. 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 be in possession of a valid U.S. passport to enter and exit the United States.

Applying For A Consular Report Of Birth Abroad And Passport For Your Child

A consular report of Birth Abroad can be prepared only at an American consular office overseas while the child is under the age of 18.  You must apply at the consular office serving your consular district. 

In all cases, both parents must appear in person with the child upon the submission of the application. If one parent is outside Nigeria and unable to appear, a signed written consent (Form DS-3053) notarized by a U.S. Notary Public or U.S. Consular officer must be provided by that parent in addition to a copy of his/her passport.

All documents must be submitted in the original.  Where originals cannot be submitted, duly notarized copies will suffice.

What You Need to Bring

If Both Parents Of The Child Are American Citizens

1. The child's official birth certificate issued by the Nigerian authorities (civil registration department). Make sure the name on the birth certificate is exactly how you want it to appear on the Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
   
2. Parents' official marriage certificate.
   
3. Official divorce decree if either parent was previously married. If one parent is deceased, please provide an official death certificate.
   
4. Naturalization certificate for a naturalized parent(s) and U.S. passport(s).
   
5. Parents who have previously documented children born abroad should bring the other Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.
   
6. One matte finish (not glossy) photograph 2” x 2”, showing a full front view of the child's face with a light background. Please make sure that ears and eyebrows are visible.
   
7. Passport application Form DS-11; Consular Report of Birth Abroad application (Form DS-2029); and Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence. For consular forms, click here.
   

If only one parent of the child is an American citizen

In addition to the documents listed above, the American citizen parent must provide documentation of evidence of at least five (or ten) years physical presence in the U.S. before the child's birth (10 years physical presence if the child was born before 1986).

What constitutes U.S. physical presence: U.S. citizens may count any time they have been physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions. Naturalized U.S. Citizens may count time spent in the U.S. prior to their naturalization, regardless of their status.

The following are examples of documents which may be considered by the Consular Officer as primary evidence of physical presence in the United States:

• Official school transcripts (secondary or higher)
  
• Medical records
  
• Tax returns with attached W-2 forms
  
• Social Security Earnings Record (SSA 7005)
  

Please note the following important information

Tax returns: tax returns without W2s will not be accepted as proof of physical presence. W2s must accompany all tax returns.

Consular Reports of Birth Abroad Certificates for previously documented children can serve as evidence that proof of physical presence was established in the past.  However, applicants may be required by the adjudicating officer to provide primary proof of physical presence as well.  For this reason, applicants are encouraged to bring all documentation regarding their physical presence in the United States with them to the interview.  Applicants who are missing information will be asked to return with complete documentation.

Previous passports may be used only as supplements to additional documentary proof of physical presence. The United States does not have an exit control system, and therefore, passport stamps are not sufficient proof of physical presence.

Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence: Please make sure that the Affidavit of Parentage and Physical Presence is completed fully. Do not simply list years in the U.S. (i.e. 1982-1990) without identifying periods of time outside the United States (i.e. summers in Nigeria). This is particularly important if the U.S. Citizen parent traveled back and forth between the U.S. and other foreign countries during the time claimed as physically present in the U.S.

The American Citizen parent must provide documentation to convince the Consular Officer reviewing the case that the American Citizen parent was physically present in the U.S for a minimum of five years (10 if the child was born before 1986) prior to the birth of the child.  Please do not confuse physical presence with having a residence.  In order for a U.S. citizen parent to fulfill transmission requirements for citizenship, the parent must have been physically present in the U.S. for the required period of time.  Merely owning property or businesses in the U.S., paying taxes, or holding a U.S. passport is not sufficient.  Ultimately, the burden of proof rests on the parent. The information above will assist in providing proof of physical presence but the Consular Officer will make the final determination.

Please do not come to the Embassy unless all applications and documents are in order, as you will not be able to see a Consular Officer unless all required documents are complete. If the documents are not complete, you will be asked to return.

If the American Citizen parent is unable to provide documentation to prove five years physical presence in the United States to convey U.S. citizenship to the child, he/she may apply for an Immigrant Visa for the child. Immigrant Visas are only processed at the U.S. Consulate Lagos at this time.  Please refer to the U.S. Embassy Nigeria Immigrant Visa webpage for further information.

Fees

Fees are paid upon submission of the application in either U.S. dollars or Nigerian naira.  We only accept cash.  Current fees for service are:

• Registration of birth of American citizen abroad: $65
  
• Execution of passport application: $25
  
• U.S. passport issuance fee, child under age 16: $40
  
• U.S. passport surcharge: $20