American Institute in Taiwan

Applying for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad

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. On this page we'll tell you what you need to do to get all three items.

When Do I Need to Start?

It is important to start this process as soon as possible after your child is born to avoid future difficulties or delays that may arise if your child does not have a U.S. travel document. If you are a resident of southern Taiwan, please contact AIT Kaohsiung directly to file an application at their office.  The U.S. deadline for completing this process is before your child's 18th birthday.

How Long Does It Take?

Once the application is approved, your child’s CRBA and passport will be sent to you by courier within approximately three to four weeks.  The Social Security Card will be sent to you directly from the Social Security Administration Baltimore office by regular mail and will take approximately four to six months. 

If your child's CRBA application is not immediately approvable, the officer will tell you what is needed to complete the process. You don't need an appointment to return with the required information. Please come during our office hours in the morning.  The child does not need to return.

Let's Get Started...

All birth, adoption, 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. All documents not in English must be translated.

Here Is What You Will Need

Appointment

All services requiring a personal appearance are by appointment only. Appointments must be made online. Please follow the links below.  Both parents and the child must appear in person to file an application.

• To make an appointment in Taipei.

If you would prefer to come to our Kaohsiung Branch Office, use the link below.

• To make an appointment in Kaohsiung.

The following items are required:

1. Proof of Parents' U.S. Citizenship: One original or certified true copy of U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, or birth certificate from a U.S. state or territory.
2. Child's Birth Certificate: Original or certified true copy of the child's English and Chinese birth certificates including the names of the child and the parents and the date and place of the child's birth. 
3. Proof of Marriage: (if applicable) Original or certified true copy of marriage certificate. All documents not in English must be translated. 
4. Proof of Termination of Prior Marriages: (if applicable) Original or certified true copies of all divorce or death certificates.  All documents not in English must be translated. 
5. One copy of every original document submitted in number 1 - 4 above.
6. Completed CRBA application form (DS-2029) (52.3 KB PDF).
7. Completed passport application form (DS-11).
8. Social Security Card Application (SS-5) (233KB PDF). Upon receiving your application, we will forward it to the Social Security Administration's regional office in Manila.  The Manila SSA office completes the computer data entry.  SSA's office in Baltimore, MD, USA actually prints the cards and mails them to the address you provided on the form.   Please allow four to six months for your card to arrive.
9. One 2" x 2" (5cm x 5cm) color passport photos (head size 1" to 1 3/8") with a white background, taken within the past 6 months, showing the child's full face with eyes open.
10. Photo ID with name in English for both parents (US, Taiwan or other passport or US driver's license).
11. US$100 fee for Consular Report of Birth Abroad and US$105 fee for passport. (US$205 total)

In Taipei, fees may be paid in either US or NT dollars or by credit card. In Kaohsiung, fees may be paid in either NT dollars or by credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Discover. We do not accept personal checks or travelers checks.

The following items may also be required

1. Evidence of Physical Presence in the U.S. for U.S. citizen parent: If only one parent is a U.S. citizen, that parent will have to present evidence of five years of physical presence in the U.S. prior to the child's birth. Two of the five years must be after age fourteen.
   • Time spent in the U.S. does not have to be consecutive.
   • Maintaining a residence in the U.S. (for example, owning property, voting, paying taxes) is not sufficient.
   • Evidence might include: School and employment records, tax withholding statements, social security statements.
   • Time spent in the U.S. can be in any immigration status:  student, Legal Permanent Resident, U.S. Citizen, etc.
2. Affidavit of Parentage: Required for a child conceived out of wedlock. Download the Affidavit of Parentage (165KB PDF).
3. Evidence parents were physically together at time of conception: Required if the child was conceived out of wedlock or if required by the consular officer. Evidence might include: Passports, airline tickets, entry/exit records.

All documents must be originals or certified true copies. The consular officer will determine which documents are acceptable and may request additional evidence. Please prepare photocopies of those required documents before submitting the application.  If AIT needs to photocopy a document, there will be a charge of US$1.00 per page.

If one parent is a citizen of Taiwan: Your child will also be a citizen of Taiwan at birth and will have to comply with Taiwan laws. Your child will have to be placed on the Taiwan parent's Household Registration and depart Taiwan using a Taiwan passport. If the child returns to Taiwan using a U.S. passport, the child will need to apply for a resident visa and Alien Registration Card. A male child who continues to reside here may eventually be subject Taiwan's compulsory military service law.

If neither parent is a citizen of Taiwan: Your child must have an exit permit in the new U.S. passport in order to leave Taiwan. An exit permit may be obtained from the National Immigration Agency. AIT will provide contact information when we deliver the new passport to you.

Can I Do This in the U.S.?

If your child was born abroad you will need to complete the Report of Birth process abroad; it can't be done in the U.S.

If your child was born in Taiwan, then the processing must be done in Taiwan. While you can file the documents at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad, that office is required to send them to us in Taiwan for processing. This will delay things, so it is best to complete this whole procedure while you are still in Taiwan.

How Do I Get Additional Copies of the Report of Birth?

Additional copies of the Report of Birth are available from the Department of State only; no records are kept at AIT.

If you need to obtain a replacement of your child's original CRBA from the Department of State in Washington, DC, the charge is US$50. AIT does not assist with these requests. Send your request and a U.S. dollar check or money order payable to "Department of State" to:

U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Vital Records Section
1111 19th Street, N.W., Room 510
Washington, D.C. 20522-1705

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

See more information from the Department of State website on replacing a CRBA.