Applying for Citizenship

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal document certifying the acquisition of United States citizenship at birth for a person born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).  United States non-citizen nationals are also eligible for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, using the non-citizen option.

CRBA applications must be made before the child’s 18th birthday. We recommend that parents apply for the CRBA as soon as possible after the child’s birth.

Prior to the appointment date, please verify that you have followed all of the eCRBA application steps listed below. The Consular Officer will ask applicants who submit incomplete applications to return at a later date with supplemental information. 

When applying for their child’s CRBA, parents will generally be encouraged to apply for a U.S. passport at the same time to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of consular services. If you are applying for a passport for a child under the age of 16, then federal law requires that both parents appear before a consular officer or passport agent in order to execute the passport application (DS-11 application for U.S. passport).  If this is not possible due to finances, incapacitation, or incarceration, the missing parent must then submit a DS-3053 statement of the consent notarized by a public notary or passport center in the United States or a U.S. consular officer abroad.

The child must always be present for both the CRBA and passport interviews. All applicants without a fully and accurately completed DS-2029 and DS-11 and their child present will be turned away and will need to reschedule an appointment for a later date. Consular staff at the U.S. Embassy in Lomé are not authorized to provide legal advice or help in completing any of the required forms.  If you have a question concerning how to complete this paperwork, then you should seek the assistance of an attorney who specializes in immigration and nationality law or a public notary in the United States.  Additional information is available on the Department of State’s Consular Affairs’ travel.state.gov website.

To apply, your child must have been born in TOGO.

To be eligible to apply for a CRBA online, you MUST answer all the following criteria with YES.

  1. Was the child born in Togo?
  2. Is the child under the age of 18?
  3. Was at least one parent a U.S. citizen or U.S. non-citizen national when the child was born?
  4. Can you use an internationally accepted credit/debit card or a direct payment method from a U.S. dollar denominated bank account (also known as “ACH”) to pay online for your Consular Report of Birth Abroad application?
  5. Are you a biological parent of a child born abroad who is applying for that child?

If you answered YES to all the above questions, you MUST apply using the eCRBA application prior to your interview.  Conversely, if any of the above statements do not apply to you, you MUST apply by completing a paper application (DS-2029).

Otherwise please proceed with the electronic application. (Please remember there must be at least a 72-hour time gap between your payment and the date of your appointment when filing electronically.)

You must now apply for a CRBA electronically prior to your interview at U.S. Embassy, Lomé. This new online feature allows U.S. citizen parents to complete a CRBA application online, upload all required documents, and submit payment prior to the in-person interview.

1) To apply for a CRBA online, you need to create a MyTravelGov MyTravelGov is a secured, encrypted portal. Watch this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVgRyLQd3jA&t=4s) to learn more about creating your accoun

2) Once you have created a MyTravelGov account you can access eCRBA and submit your application online. The easy-to-use online process provides applicants with step-by-step instructions on how to complete the application. You may review the necessary documents for the CRBA application in advance by reading the following checklist.

    • Evidence of birth (typically, the original local birth certificate for the child, the hospital statement of birth).
    • Proof of U.S. nationality for the transmitting parent(s) (typically, a U.S. passport or birth certificate or certificate of naturalization).
    • Parents’ IDs.
    • Documentary evidence of parents’ current and/or past marriage(s) (may include marriage, divorce, or death certificate).
    • Evidence of Financials Support and/or Legal Relationship (for children born out-of-wedlock) or court ordered support.
    • A scanned and notarized Form DS-5507 (for children born out-of-wedlock)
    • Proof of U.S. presence (e.g., bank, employment, school, or tax records, rent receipts, etc.)

Note: All foreign-language documents must be translated into English and uploaded with the corresponding originals.

If you require additional help completing the application, please refer to this complete guide which explains each step of the process.

3) Once you complete the online application and submit payment, you will then be directed to schedule your appointment at US Embassy Lomé. Please schedule your appointment at least 72 hours after payment submission. This provides time for your payment to be processed prior to your CRBA interview. Please Note: Do NOT make another (or duplicate) payment for a CRBA ($100) at the Embassy. Please note that NO CRBA fees are subject to refunds.

4) Attend your scheduled in-person interview with your original documents and their photocopies (single-sided). Original documents will be returned to you after reviewing your application. You must provide English translations for all foreign language documents. The child must be present at the time of application. Generally, both parents should also attend the interview.

We are here to help!

  • You can access eCRBA 2.0 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Here
  • You can view an application how-to-guide (Customer SOP) EN, FR
  • For questions or concerns please send a message to consularlome@state.gov and follow the instructions in the autoreply email.

There is no standard processing time, as processing generally depends upon the provision of the required documentation by the parents. But if you have previously registered the birth of a U.S. citizen child born abroad, please inform the Consular Section, as that may help to accelerate the processing time.

Social Security applications are also available at the Embassy. If you wish to apply for a Social Security card for your child, please fill out form SS-5 (PDF 132 KB) and submit it at the time of the CRBA application. Once your child’s CRBA and passport are issued, the Consular Section will submit the Social Security card application to the Social Security Administration. The card will be delivered to your U.S. address.