AMERICAN CITIZENS SERVICES

Your Baby's Report of Birth, Passport and Social Security Number

Congratulations on your child's birth!

Your new baby needs a first passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (similar to a birth certificate) and a Social Security number. We'll tell you what you need to do to get all three items.
The law on acquisition of U.S. citizenship varies if one or both biological parents are U.S. citizens, and if the child is born in or out of wedlock.  Click here to find out more.

Did You Know...? Many passport/report of birth applications are initially refused because applicants forget to bring one or more items of required documentation, or forget to bring originals. So, to avoid making a 2nd, 3rd or even 4th journey to the Embassy with your entire family in tow, please make sure you have all of the items you will need for a successful application.

 Your Child!
 Forms (filled out neatly and completely prior to the appointment)
 Both Parents (or a notarized consent from the non-appearing parent)
 Mom and Dad's passports
 Child’s Nicaraguan Birth Certificate (original issued by the Central Registry)
 Medical Records (the Epicrisis or Doctor’s Signed Statement) Documenting the Birth of the Child
 Proof of Parent's Marriage (if pertinent)
 Proof of Termination of All Prior Marriages of Parents (if pertinent)
 One Photo of the Child
 Evidence of U.S. Citizen Parent's Physical Presence in the U.S. (if pertinent)
 Evidence of U.S. Citizen Parent's Physical Presence Together at Conception (if pertinent)
 U.S. dollars or credit card for application fee.

Please read further for more infomation.

It is important to start this process as soon as possible after your child is born. In the case of urgent, unexpected travel, your child will need a passport. In addition, you may need to secure a Nicaraguan immigration stamp for your child, which also requires a passport.

Once you have assembled all the necessary items, you will need to set up an appointment to bring all of the documents, parents, and baby to the Embassy.

Make your appointment online by clicking here. You can also send an email request to ACS.Managua@state.gov.

Let's Get Started...
All birth, marriage, death or divorce certificates must bear the original seal, stamp or signature of the Official Custodian of the document. Notarized copies, church records and uncertified photocopies are not official documents and may be invalid as primary evidence. All documents must be originals please.  We will return the original documents to you the same day.

PDF reader software such as Adobe Acrobat is required to view and print the downloadable forms on your computer. The Acrobat software is available for free. The forms are also available at the Embassy at no charge. Note that the form you print must have black print on white paper. The paper must be 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches, or A4 size. Thermal paper, special inkjet paper, and other shiny papers are not acceptable.

Documents Needed

Parent(s) Proof of Citizenship
Citizenship is proven though an official birth certificate or naturalization/citizenship certificate, a Consular Report of Birth and/or a valid or expired (issued no more than 15 years ago) passport.  A non-U.S. citizen parent also must present an original passport.  Originals only please. We will copy your documents and return them to you the same day.

Proof of Child's Birth
Parents must present a Nicaraguan birth certificate from the Nicaraguan Central Registry.

Medical Records
Parents must bring medical records documenting the birth of the child.  Preferred documents are the epicrisis and/or doctor’s signed statement.

Proof of Parents' Marriage
You will also need to bring along your official marriage certificate; again, originals only please.  If your child was born out of wedlock, please follow this link for some additional requirements.

Proof of Termination of All Prior Marriages of Parents
Please bring along official and original divorce or death certificates, if applicable.

Forms Needed

Application for a Consular Report of Birth (DS-2029)
Please submit one copy of form DS-2029.  You can download the form here. DS-2029 forms are also available in our office.  Please remember to wait and sign the application form in front of a consular officer.

Affidavit of Paternity
If you are a U.S. citizen father and you and the child’s mother are not married to each other, or were married to each other after the child's birth, or were married within six months of the birth, you must submit an affidavit of paternity

The law on acquisition of U.S. citizenship varies if one or both biological parents are U.S. citizens, and if the child is born in or out of wedlock. Follow this link to learn more about acquisition of citizenship.

Passport Application (DS-11)
Please submit one copy of form DS-11.  You can download the form here. DS-11 forms are also available in our office.  Please remember to wait and sign the application form in front of a consular officer.

Two-Parent Consent for Passport Issuance                    
All applicants under the age of 16 must have parental consent before a passport is issued.  In most instances this means that both parents must sign your child's passport application, even if one parent is not a U.S. citizen.

Both parents should come to the Embassy with their passports and sign together, in person.

If this is impossible, one parent may sign in person and the other parent give his/her consent through a notarized, written affidavit.  Click here to download the affidavit form. Notarials for this purpose can be done for no charge at the Embassy. All notarized statements must be in English.  A faxed copy of the notarized consent form is acceptable.

Note that the parent who signs in person will need to still have a copy of the non-present parent's passport with him/her. We need to see the original passport of at least one U.S. citizen parent in these first-time, Report of Birth cases.  In exceptional cases – i.e., one parent has died or is in prison – provisions have been made to accept a passport with one parent’s signature.  These cases are very rare and require abundant documentation.

One Photo
The photo must be 2 inches by 2 inches with the face size as specified on the passport application and below.  The background must be white or very light colored.  Your browser may not display the graphic below as the right size.  The best way to make sure your photo is the right size is to download and print out a passport application. The drawing of a properly-sized photo is right on the application form.

Please make sure your child's eyes are open in the photo. One way to do this is to drape a white sheet over one (sitting) parent, who also holds the baby's head and neck upright under the sheet. The other partner takes the photo. A second way is to place the child on a white blanket on the floor and take the photo while standing over him/her. You can also go to a professional photographer if you prefer. 

Here's what your photo should look like:

There are no photo facilities located inside the Embassy.  However, there are several located near the Embassy should you not be able to locate a photo facility near your home.

Social Security Number Application (SS-5)
Please complete form SS-5-FS.  You can download it here, or pick up this form in our offices.  Do not send it to Social Security; instead, submit the completed form to the Embassy along with the other forms and documents needed for your child's report of birth and first U.S. passport.

Other Necessary Items

Personal Appearance by Your Child

Your child, even a newborn, must appear in person at our offices at the time you make the application.  There are no exceptions or waivers possible for this requirement.

Fee
The fees are US$65 for the Consular Report of Birth, US$85 for the passport, for a total of US$150.  For a complete listing of our service fees, click here.  You must pay for these services at the Embassy when you come for your appointment.  We accept U.S. dollars and the following credit cards: VISA, MasterCard, Discover, Diners Club or American Express.

Other Things We Will Ask For

Evidence of U.S. Citizen Parent's Physical Presence in the United States

In some situations, how long one or both U.S. citizen parents lived in the United States can affect your child's acquisition of citizenship (follow this link to learn why).  Depending on your situation, you may need to fill out an affidavit of paternity and bring in documentation to demonstrate the U.S. citizen parent's period of physical presence in the United States.  The number one reason why parents are turned away the first time is because they do not bring proof that they were physically present in the United States for the required period of time.

Evidence of U.S. Citizen Parent's Physical Presence Together at Conception

You must establish evidence of a blood link between the U.S. citizen parent(s) and the child.  In some situations, such as if your child was conceived out of wedlock, we may ask for evidence of the biological parents' physical presence together at the time of conception.  Such evidence might include entry/exit stamps in passports, Nicaraguan entry/exit records etc.

In some complex cases, the most conclusive way to prove a biological parental relationship between the child and the U.S. citizen parent is through blood or DNA Parentage testing.

Acquisition of Citizenship
The law on acquisition of U.S. citizenship varies if one or both biological parents are U.S. citizens, and if the child is born in or out of wedlock. Here's how it works:

• Child born abroad to two U.S. citizens
  A child born outside of the U.S. or its outlying possessions to parents, both of whom are U.S. citizens at the time of the child’s birth, is entitled to citizenship provided one of the parents had, prior to the birth of the child, been resident in the U.S. or one of its outlying possessions. (No specific period of time is required.)

• Child born abroad to one U.S. citizen parent and one non-U.S. citizen
  
  …on or after November 14, 1986. A child born outside of the U.S. to one U.S. citizen parent and one non-U.S. citizen parent is entitled to citizenship if the U.S. citizen parent can prove s/he had been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for five years, at least two years of which were after s/he reached the age of fourteen. This period of physical presence must have taken place prior to the birth of the child.If you are a U.S. citizen father and you and the child’s mother were married to each other after the child's birth, or were married within six months of the birth, you must also submit an affidavit of paternity.
  
  ...between December 24, 1952 and November 13, 1986. A child born outside of the United States to one U.S. citizen parent and one non-U.S. citizen parent, is entitled to U.S. citizenship providing the U.S. citizen parent can prove s/he had, prior to the birth of the child, been physically present in the United States for a period of ten years, at least five years of which were after s/he reached the age of fourteen.

• Child born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother
  A child born outside of the United States and out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen mother is entitled to U.S. citizenship providing the U.S. citizen mother can prove she had been physically present in the United States for a continuous period of at least one year at some time prior to the birth of her child.

• Child born out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father
  A child born abroad and out of wedlock to a U.S. citizen father is entitled to U.S. citizenship if the U.S. citizen father can prove he had been physically present in the United States for the period of time as specified in previous paragraphs for children born in wedlock to one U.S. citizen and one non-U.S. citizen parent.

The following conditions must also be fulfilled:

The single father must sign a sworn statement agreeing to provide financial support for the child until s/he reaches the age of 18 years; AND
. . . the father must provide a written statement acknowledging paternity; the child must be legitimated under local law; or paternity must be established by a competent court before the child attains the age of 18 years.
All of these statements are made by the father using an affidavit of paternity form.  Please download and complete it before coming to the Embassy, but do not sign it.  You'll sign it in front of a consular officer at the Embassy.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions we are asked in connection with applications for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad.

Does my child really have to come in to see you?
Yes. Your child, even a newborn, must appear in person at our offices at the time you make the application.

Is my Child a Dual National? Which Passport Does She Use?
Does your child have one Nicaraguan parent? Follow this link for information on dual nationality?


Does My Newborn Need a Nicaraguan Immigration Stamp?
The final decision on any matter involving Nicaraguan visas and/or Nicaraguan nationality rests with the Nicaraguan Government.  However, click here some general information to get you started.

If your child has one Nicaraguan parent and one U.S. Citizen parent, the child likely is a dual national (U.S. and Nicaraguan Citizen).  Follow this link for more information on dual nationality.

You cannot obtain a Nicaraguan visa at the U.S. Embassy and we cannot advise you of the application requirements for a Nicaraguan visa.

My child has two last names.  Do I need to list both on the applications?
If your child has two last names that appear on his or her Nicaraguan birth documents, you can choose whether you want both last names or just one listed on the Consular Report of Birth and U.S. Passport.  Once you have made a decision, unless an official name change is made, the child’s name must appear the same way on all future U.S. registration and citizenship documents.

What do you mean by physical presence?
Physical Presence is the actual time when the parent was physically present in the United States.

This means that any travel outside the United States, including vacation, should be excluded.  Please be prepared to submit old passports if available, as evidence.  Also be prepared to submit applicable work, social security, tax, school or other records to demonstrate the minimum period of physical presence required by the law.

Any documented periods of time spent overseas with the U.S. Military/Government etc. may be computed as physical presence in the United States for transmission of citizenship purposes. Time spent as a dependent of a U.S. Military/Government employee may also be computed as physical presence. Military records may be requested.

Documents generally should be original copies.  Documents in the Spanish language do not have to be translated into English.


I did not live in the United States long enough to transmit citizenship to my child.  Are there other ways my child could become a U.S. Citizen?
Your child may be eligible for citizenship transmission through their U.S. citizen grandparent(s).  Click here to read more.  Processing an Immigrant Visa for your child may be an option.


Can I process the Consular Report of Birth Abroad in the United States?
If your child was born abroad you will need to complete the Consular Report of Birth process abroad; it cannot be done in the United States.
If your child was born in Nicaragua then the processing must be done in Nicaragua. While you can file the documents at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad, that office is required to send them to us in Nicaragua for processing. This will delay things, so it is best to complete this whole procedure while you are still in Nicaragua. 


I am a single father with an older child born out of wedlock. Can I register my older child as a U.S. Citizen?
You must establish your child’s claim to U.S. citizenship before his or her 18th birthday.  Otherwise, your child fails to acquire citizenship through birth to U.S. citizen parent(s).  Depending on the situation, other avenues may be open to such parents for obtaining U.S. residency and/or citizenship for their children.


Can I register my step children or adopted children as U.S. citizens?
You cannot establish a claim to U.S. citizenship for your step children or adopted children through the Consular Report of Birth process.  This process is limited to biological children of U.S. citizen parents.  Click here for information on obtaining an Immigrant Visa for your adopted child.  Information on Immigrant Visas for step children can be found on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.


How do I get additional copies of the Consular Report of Birth?
Additional copies of the Report of Birth are available from the Department of State only; no records are kept at the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua.  You can get the details here on obtaining additional copies of your child's Report of Birth.

How long does this process take?
Once we have everything we need, processing time is normally about two weeks, as all passport printing now must be done in the United States.  However, because computers break, hurricanes happen and mail is sometimes delivered late, please don't make any unchangeable travel plans until you have the new passport in hand.

If your child was born outside of the United States in a country other than Nicaragua, then the process can take much longer as your application for a Consular Report of Birth must be forwarded to the U.S. Embassy or consulate in the country where the birth occurred.

Your child's Social Security card will be sent to you directly by the nice folks at Social Security. Please allow up to six months for the card to arrive.