Applying for a Certificate of Citizenship

Submit Form N-600 to get a Certificate of Citizenship. This document serves as proof that you are a U.S. citizen. Learn more about Form N-600 and how to submit it.

Applying for a U.S. passport

If your parent did not register your birth at a U.S. embassy or consulate, you will need specific things to apply for a passport : Your foreign birth record showing your parents' names Evidence of a parent’s U.S. citizenship Your parents' marriage certificate, if applicable A statement from your U.S. citizen parent(s) which lists where and when they lived in the U.S. and abroad before your birth

Prove your citizenship: born outside the U.S. to a U.S. citizen parent

Learn how to prove your U.S. citizenship if you were born without documentation outside the U.S. to a parent who was a U.S. citizen.

Typically, when a child is born outside the U.S. to parents who are U.S. citizens, they would file a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). The U.S. Department of State issues CRBAs before a child turns 18 and are proof of the child's U.S. citizenship. Learn more about CRBAs, including how to apply for one or get it replaced or corrected.

If your parents did not apply for a CRBA, you have two options for getting your citizenship recognized. Understand how to apply for a:

Certificate of Citizenship
U.S. passport

LAST UPDATED: November 17, 2025

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