TN 9 (02-85)

A. General

Foreign service posts are authorized and required, upon application by the parents or other interested person to record the birth abroad of any child who acquired a valid claim to U.S. citizenship at birth.

B. Forms FS-240 and FS-545

There are two foreign service forms that record births abroad of a U.S. citizen. Either one is acceptable evidence of age and U.S. citizenship for SSA purposes. If a claimant possesses either form, it will not be necessary to request a public or religious record of birth. The forms are:

• FS-240 (Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States)

  • Reports the birth abroad of a child of a U.S. citizen

  • Is not a BC

  • Is a certification of the facts of birth based upon the affidavit of the person furnishing the information and supporting documentary evidence

  • Is not prepared in any case in which child has reached age 5 unless prior authorization is received from Department of State.

• FS-545 (Certification of Birth)

  • Is based on the information shown on the FS-240

  • Is given to the individual reporting the child's birth

  • Does not contain as much identifying information as FS-240, but is evidence that child's birth has been registered at the post

  • Is considered by the Department of State as evidence of age and U.S. citizenship.

See GN 00308.235 for instructions on how to request these records.