AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES
RECORDS OF BIRTH, DEATH, MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Records of Birth, Death, Marriage, and Divorce in the United States
For information on how to obtain birth, death, marriage and divorce records from U.S.
states and territories, please visit the website of the
National Center For Health Statistics.
Records of Birth, Death and Citizenship of U.S. citizens outside of the United States
Consular Report of Birth (FS-240)
On November 1, 1990, the Department of State ceased issuing multiple copies of the Consular Report of
Birth (FS-240). As of that date, a new format for the FS-240 went into effect. All previously issued FS-240s
are acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship (Public Law 97-241 - Aug. 24, 1982).
To obtain a replacement for a lost or mutilated document, please submit a notarized written request
including the original FS-240 or a notarized affidavit concerning the loss of the FS-240 and a $30 fee,
payable to the “Department of State.” Mail it to the address below. The notarized affidavit must contain the: (1)
name, (2) date, and (3) place of birth of the subject; (4) a statement regarding the whereabouts of the
original FS-240; and (5) be signed by the subject, parent, or legal representative. A replacement
DS-240 cannot be obtained overseas; it can only be obtained by writing to the address below.
Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350)
If the birth was recorded in the form of a
Consular Report of Birth, a Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350) can be
issued in multiple copies. The DS-1350 contains the same information as that on
the new format Consular Report of Birth and is acceptable for all legal
purposes. The DS-1350 is not issued overseas and can be obtained only by
writing to the address below.
Amending/Correcting the Consular Report of Birth
To amend or correct a Consular Report of
Birth, submit a written request - accompanied by certified copies of all
documents appropriate for effecting the change (e.g., foreign birth
certificate, marriage certificate, court ordered adoption or name change, birth
certificates of the adopting or legitimating parents, affidavits, etc.). The
original FS-240 or replacement FS-240, or a notarized affidavit concerning its
whereabouts, also must be included. In addition, a photo copy of a valid form of photo identification of the requester must be submitted. Send the request to the address listed below.
Obtaining copies of the FS-240, DS-1350, and Panama Canal Zone Birth
Certificates
The DS-1350 or a replacement FS-240 can be obtained by writing to:
Vital Records Section
Passport Services
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 510
Washington, D.C. 20522-1705
A written request must be notarized and must include a copy of valid photo identification of the requester. The written request must include:
(1) full name of child at birth (plus any adoptive names)
(2) date and place of birth
(3) names of parents
(4) serial number, if known, of the FS-240 (on those issued after November 1, 1990) if known
(5) any available passport information
(6) signature of requester and
(7) notarized affidavit for a replacement FS-240 (if applicable).
Note: For Panama Canal Zone (PCZ) birth certificates, just include items (1) through (3).
The fee for an FS-240 is $30. The fees for
DS-1350 and PCZ certificates are $30 for the first copy, $20 each additional
copy. Make the check or bank draft drawn on a bank in the United States, or money
order, payable to the "Department of State." The Department will
assume no responsibility for cash lost in the mail. Documents will be provided
to the person who is the subject of the Report of Birth, the subject’s parents,
the subject’s legal guardian, authorized government agency, or a person who
submits written authorization from the subject of the Report of Birth.
Certificate of Citizenship issued by the Immigration Authorities in the United States
A person, who acquired United States
citizenship through birth abroad to a U.S. citizen parent(s) or who acquired
U.S. citizenship by derivative naturalization, may apply for a Certificate of
Citizenship under the provisions of Section 341 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act.
Application for this document may be made in the United States
to the nearest office of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in
the Department of Homeland Security. Upon approval, a Certificate of
Citizenship will be issued in the name of the subject, but only if that
person is in the United States. Obtaining this certificate involves
presentation of basically the same documentation required to obtain a Consular
Report of Birth. Under law, the Consular Report of Birth and the Certificate of
Citizenship are equally acceptable as proof of citizenship.
Obtaining copies of Foreign Service Reports of Death
When a US citizen passes away in
Sweden, the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm prepares a Foreign Service Report of
Death, of which several copies are sent to the next of kin. The original is
mailed to the Department of State, Washington DC. If additional copies are
needed, please fill out the request form (see below) and send it to:
U.S. Department of State
Passport Services
Vital Records Section
1111 19th Street NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20524.
The request for a certified copy of
the Foreign Service Report of Death must be accompanied by the required
fee.
Send a check or money order in the
amount of $30.00 for the first copy and $20.00 for each additional copy,
payable to the “Department of State”.
In addition to this the request must include a copy of a valid photo identification of the requester, e.g. driver’s license, passport etc. Also, the request must be notarized, a service the Embassy can provide. See also the Department of State, Consular Affairs home page on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov/passport/index.html under “Passport Services” for further information about obtaining copies of Reports of Death.
Additional Information
The Vital Records Section can be reached at (202) 955-0307. A clerk or caseworker
will be pleased to assist you.
You may download the Consular Vital Record Search Request Form
here. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader 3x or better to read and print this form).
