Citizenship and Births

Documentary Evidence Needed to Establish a Citizenship Claim

Please submit the following documents and fees to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy, La Paz or to  any of the Consular Agencies in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.

1. Child's original foreign birth certificate.

2. Proof of parent's or parents' U.S. citizenship (i.e. certified copy of U.S. birth certificate, or U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship, Consular Report of Birth Abroad, etc.)

3. Proof of parents' identity: government-issued identification with the parent’s name, photo and signature.

4. Certified copy of the parents' marriage certificate.

5. Documentary evidence of termination of any previous marriages of either parent (i.e. divorce decree, death certificate, etc.), if applicable.

6. Affidavit of Paternity/Maternity and Physical Presence, executed before the consular official.

7. For the child's passport, two photographs. The photos must be recent (taken within the past six months), 2x2 inches, color full face, on a plain, light (white or off-white) background. (Vending machine photographs are not acceptable.)

8. Fees: Effective June 1, 2002, a fee of $65.00 is charged for an Application for Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States.

9. Other. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires that both a blood and a legal relationship exist between the child and the U.S. citizen parent. 22 CFR 51.40 provides that the burden of proof is upon the applicant to establish a claim to U.S. citizenship.

10. Power of Attorney: If the application is executed by a person other than a parent, or legal guardian, that person must present a notarized statement of authorization from a parent in order to execute the application for a U.S. passport or Consular Report of Birth Abroad for the child.

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