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Birth Abroad

Reporting of Birth Abroad

The American parents of a child born in Lahore Consular District should report the birth to the consulate in Lahore. Applicants are required to be physically present when submitting their application. We are open Monday through Friday. We are closed on both Pakistani and American holidays. Please call the American Citizen Services Unit in Lahore at phone number 9242-603-4250 to make an appointment. The Consulate will issue a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and a U.S. passport to the child. The Report of Birth Abroad may be used as a birth certificate for school, work, or other purposes.

Note also that the application for a Report of Birth includes an application for a social security number. The number will be mailed to you approximately four months after registration.

CHILD SUPPORT OWED

A passport, except for direct return to the United States, will not be issued in any case in which the applicant has been certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services as notified by a state agency under 42 U.S.C. 652(k) to be in arrears of child support in an amount exceeding $5,000.00.

Your passport will be revoked if you fall under this regulation, including when you apply for additional pages, seek a renewal or process a Report of Birth application.

LEGISLATION

Prior to your child being issued with a birth certificate and an American passport the Consulate must first determine that your child is entitled to citizenship. Attached is an extract from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 listing sections of the law pertaining to the acquisition of United States nationality. Following is a brief summary of the four main sections of the law, which may be applicable in your child’s case.

SECTION 301 (C) - BORN TO TWO UNITED STATES CITIZEN PARENTS

A child born outside of the United States of parents both of whom are citizens, and one of whom has had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions prior to the birth of such person, will be entitled to American citizenship. (Please note: there is no specific period of time that either or both parents would have had to have spent in the United States or its outlying possessions.)

SECTION 301 (G) - BORN TO ONE US CITIZEN PARENT AND ONE ALIEN PARENT ON OR AFTER NOVEMBER 14, 1986 TO THE PRESENT

A child born outside of the United States to ONE United States citizen parent and ONE alien parent will be entitled to United States citizenship PROVIDING the American citizen parent had, prior to the birth of the child, been physically present in the United States or one of its outlying possessions for a period, or periods totaling FIVE YEARS (5), at least TWO (2) of those years must have been after the age of FOURTEEN (14).

(Any periods of honorable service in the United States Armed Forces, or periods of employment with the United States Government, or as a dependent unmarried son or daughter and a member of the household of such person, may be computed as physical presence in the United States for this purpose.)

CHILD BORN OUTSIDE OF WEDLOCK

In the absence of a marriage between the natural parents at the time of the child’s birth (a child born outside of wedlock), a child may still be entitled to United States citizenship providing the American citizen parent is able to meet the requirements as set forth under section 309 of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which became effective December 24, 1952.

SECTION 309(A) - BORN OUTSIDE OF WEDLOCK TO A UNITED STATES CITIZEN FATHER AND AN ALIEN MOTHER

A child born out of wedlock to a United States citizen father and an alien mother may have a claim to citizenship providing the blood relationship between the father and the child is established by clear and convincing evidence and that the father had the nationality of the United States at the time of the child’s birth.

In all cases the father must have fulfilled the physical presence requirements for transmission purposes as set forth under section 301 (G).

In all cases the father must sign a sworn statement of financial support. The father must agree to provide financial support for the child until the child reaches at least the age of EIGHTEEN years.

In addition to the affidavit of Financial Support ONE of the following requirements must be met:

  • The father must provide a written statement acknowledging paternity. OR
  • The child must be legitimated under local law. OR
  • Paternity must be established by adjudication of a competent court.

SECTION 309 (C) - BORN OUTSIDE OF WEDLOCK TO UNITED STATES CITIZEN MOTHER AND AN ALIEN FATHER

A person born on or after December 24, 1952, shall be held to have acquired at birth the nationality status of his mother, if the mother had American citizenship at the time of such person’s birth AND if the mother had previously been physically present in the US or one of its outlying possessions for a continuous period of ONE year, prior to the birth of the child.

WHAT DOES PHYSICAL PRESENCE MEAN?

Physical presence is counted as the time the parent was actually in the United States. If the parent had a residence in the U.S. but spent most of his/her time traveling or living abroad, only the time actually spent in the U.S. counts as physical presence. Physical presence need not be continuous. Visits of any length to the U.S. count towards fulfilling physical presence requirements. Any periods spent outside of the U.S., even short vacations, must be accounted for in listing physical presence. Time when the parent is not present in the U.S. for the following reasons may also be counted as physical presence in the U.S. for the purpose of transmitting U.S. citizenship:

  • honorable service in the Armed Forces of the United States;
  • employment with the U.S. Government or with certain international organizations;
  • residence overseas as a dependent unmarried son or daughter and a member of the household of an employee of the U.S. Government or certain international organizations.

PLEASE BRING THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A REPORT OF BIRTH ABROAD:

  • Completed application for Consular Report of Birth Abroad (DS-2029/SS-5)
  • Completed application for Passport (DS-11)
  • Two recent identical photographs of the child. Photographs should be 2 x 2 inches, non-glossy, color photos with white background, front pose; head should not be covered and both ears should be visible. Polaroid photos are NOT acceptable.
  • Fee for Consular Report of Birth is $65 or Pakistani Rupee equivalent, for Passport $82 Pakistani Rupee equivalent or. Total $147 or Pakistani Rupee equivalent.
  • Child's birth certificate issued by the hospital and local government authority, with three sets of photocopies.
  • U.S. Passport with three sets if photocopies AND/OR Naturalization certificate of U.S. Citizen parent(s).
  • If applicable, evidence of citizenship of alien parent, e.g. passport, with three sets of photocopies.
  • Parents' marriage certificate, with a photocopy.
  • Divorce/Death certificate, showing termination of all prior marriages, with photocopies.
  • An Affidavit of physical presence, if only one parent is U.S. citizen, stating precise periods of physical presence in the U.S. and documentary evidence substantiating these periods. Examples of such evidences are:
    • old Passports
    • school records
    • employment records
    • income tax records, etc
  • If only one parent is able to be present at the time of the passport application, the applying parent must bring his or her ID and a signed statement from the non-applying parent consenting to the passport issuance to the child. This statement needs to be notarized. The statement may be handwritten or typed.

NOTE: ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE PRESENTED IN ORIGINAL. IF DOCUMENT IS NOT IN ENGLISH, THEN A CERTIFIED ENGLISH TRANSLATION WITH PHOTOCOPY IS ALSO REQUIRED.