What Does Form DS 1350 Look Like?

When you apply for a U.S. passport, you’ll be required to provide one or more proofs of citizenship, both primary and secondary. Particularly if you were born abroad, you may have to include a U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) form.

The U.S. Department of State has issued several CRBA forms; the DS-1350 is one of them. Some authorities may ask you to complete your application with the form. However, you do not know whether or not you have it. If it’s your issue, let’s find out what the Form DS-1350 looks like below!

What is the Form DS-1350?

Form DS-1350, formally known as a Certification of Report of Birth of a United States Citizen, is a certificate of birth for individuals who were born abroad. The form is basically used to identify United States citizenship rights. However, it was discontinued on December 31, 2010, and is no longer issued by the government, but it is still acceptable as a valid proof of citizenship.

In November 1990, Passport Services’ Office of Technical Operations, Records Services Division, Vital Records Section issued Form DS-1350 to replace the Form FS-545 that was formally known as the Certification of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America and was first issued by a US embassy or consulate in 1960.

What’s in the Form DS-1350?

Before knowing what information is available on the form DS-1350, let’s see what the form looks like below!

What’s in the Form DS-1350

As you can see, the form contains an individual’s birth record, including:

    • Name of someone who was born
    • Sex
    • Place of birth
    • Date of birth
    • The department that issued the certificate of report of birth
    • Date when the certificate was issued
    • Parents name
    • Parents birthdate
    • Registration number
    • Certificate number
    • Authorised signature

Although the DS-1350 form is technically not a birth certificate, it provides the same information regarding birth records as a birth certificate. That’s why the U.S. government will approve it for citizenship identification.

How Can You Use the Form DS-1350?

Actually, you can use the form DS-1350 to prove that you’re a U.S. citizen, but you were born overseas. Next, you can use it to apply for a few government-issued identification documents, such as:

1. U.S. Passport

To apply for a passport, you must provide the primary evidence of U.S. citizenship, and it depends on where you were born, either inside or outside the United States. If you were born overseas, the documents you have to complete include:

    • Certification of Birth or Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). It could be a current CRBA (Form FS-240), Form DS-1350, or Form FS-545.
    • Full validity. This is a document that is or was valid for 5 years for children under 16 and 10 years for adults.
    • Certificate of Citizenship
    • Certificate of Naturalization

For those who live outside the United States, you can contact the U.S. embassy or consulate in your location to get a guide on how to apply for a U.S. passport.

2. Driver’s License

The Form DS-1350 can also be used as a proof of identity to apply for a driver’s license. But you must visit your state’s DMV because the U.S. embassy does not authorize it or provide driving or eye tests.

If you’re under age 18, you must complete a driver education program and hold a learner’s permit for at least nine months. Make sure you have a parent or guardian to witness that you’ve completed the program and have driven for at least 45 hours.

3. Social Security Card

To apply for an original Social Security Card, you must provide at least two documents to prove your identity, and the form DS-1350 can be used to create it. Your SSN application will be processed at any FBU at designated U.S. embassies or consulates.

To find FBU near your location, you can access the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) website at ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm.

Other Government-Issued IDs

In addition, other forms may sometimes be required for claiming government benefits and getting the right to residency in the United States. It basically provides the same access as citizenship privileges, like the use of a birth certificate registered in the United States.

What to Know About CRBA, a Replacement for Form DS-1350

Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), also referring to Form FS-240, is a current official document to verify someone’s U.S. citizenship. Now, it is the only valid citizenship form that is issued by the U.S. Department of State.

Form F-240 is a replacement for previous CRBA forms, i.e., FS-545 and DS-1350, but both can still be used for U.S. citizenship verification or for some legal purposes.

Keep in mind that CRBA is not proof of the identity of the child’s legal parents. Instead, this vital document will be issued to certify citizenship for children registered as born abroad.

Even though they do not have a U.S. birth certificate, it serves to ensure that their rights to U.S. citizenship are guaranteed. With the availability of Form FS-240, they’ll surely obtain any privileges as U.S. citizens.

How Do You Obtain a CRBA?

If you are a U.S. citizen and have just given birth to a child abroad, you must immediately apply for a CRBA. Today, you don’t have to go to the U.S. embassy or consulate nearby since the Department of State offers an option for CRBA application filing online.

If you prefer to apply for a CRBA online, you can visit the webpage of the U.S. embassy or consulate in your location. You can find the nearest one at usembassy.gov. Then, enter the country or area you live in and click “Locate.”

How Do You Obtain a CRBA

It’s important to note that there’s no restriction regarding the applicant’s age, but one thing is for sure: the parents are U.S. citizens and had citizenship at the time their children were born.

To apply for a CRBA, the applicant should provide either:

    • Form DS-2029 or Form DS-5507 (if the child was born out of wedlock and the father is either a US citizen or a non-US citizen).
    • Your child’s birth certificate, which was issued abroad.
    • Two 2”x2” of your child’s photographs.
    • Parent’s evidence of identity.
    • Evidence of parent U.S. citizenship could be a U.S. passport, a certificate of birth, a green card, etc.
    • Evidence of a parent’s physical presence in the United States, including education records, vaccination records, social security statements, etc.
    • Records of your pregnancy and birth.
    • There is sufficient evidence of a relationship between the parents.

If you prefer to apply for a CRBA application in person, you can visit the local U.S. embassy or consulate in the overseas territory to submit it.

If your application is approved, the documents will be signed and notarized by consular staff, a notary public, or an individual who can carry out the oath.

Conclusion

Form DS-1350 was no longer issued for citizenship verification, but it can still be used to prove someone’s U.S. citizenship.

If your child was currently born abroad, you can get proof of their U.S. citizenship by submitting a CRBA application and completing some necessary documents. After having a CRBA, you can use it to create any government-issued ID.

Related Posts