A child born outside the United States to US citizen parents does not get a state birth certificate. Instead, a US embassy or consulate can issue a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Form FS-240, which serves the same purpose as a US birth certificate and proves citizenship. Copies and replacements come from the US Department of State.
Why no state issues the record
States record births that happen inside their borders, so a birth in another country never enters any state's records. The federal government fills that gap for children of US citizens: consular officers abroad document the birth, and USAGov explains that a Consular Report of Birth Abroad serves the same purpose as a US birth certificate. US citizenship and immigration authorities treat a report issued by the State Department as conclusive proof of citizenship.
How the report is issued
Parents apply at a US embassy or consulate, and according to the CDC's page on events abroad the report can be prepared only before the child turns eighteen. Older versions, such as the Certification of Report of Birth, Form DS-1350, are no longer issued but remain valid if you already have one.
Getting a copy or replacement
Copies, amended copies and replacements of an FS-240 come from the State Department's passport vital records office, not from a state. The request is made in writing, signed in front of a notary and sent with a copy of photo ID. Only the person named on the report, a parent while the person is under eighteen, or a legal guardian may ask. The CDC lists what to include: the name at birth, the date and place of birth, both parents' names, the report's serial number if it was issued after November 1, 1990, and any passport details you have.
If you were later adopted or naturalized
Children born abroad who became citizens through adoption or naturalization rather than at birth usually prove citizenship with a Certificate of Citizenship or naturalization papers instead. Some states also issue a record of foreign birth for children born abroad and adopted through that state's courts, which records the adoption but is not proof of citizenship by itself.
What BirthChek can and cannot order
BirthChek orders birth certificates from US states and territories only. We cannot order a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, because only the State Department issues it. If you were born in a US state or territory, choose that state and we can help.
Facts checked October 24, 2026 against the sources below.
Sources
- Birth, death, marriage and divorce records for events abroad — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 22 CFR 50.7: Consular Report of Birth Abroad — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part H, Chapter 5 — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- How to replace your birth certificate — USAGov