Required documents to apply for Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA): 

You can now apply for a CRBA electronically at U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa!  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. 

•  When you have completed and reviewed the e-CRBA application, it must be printed.

• The name of the child that you list on the application needs to match with the name on the local birth certificate.

• The “residence history” fields on the application must be complete and precise.

• If the U.S. citizen parent is not present, the U.S. citizen must have the e-CRBA application printed and signed in the presence of notary public.  Only the application with original signatures will be accepted.

• If the child was born out of wedlock, the U.S. citizen parent must sign in front of a notary public the “Legal Relationship of Additional Statutory Requirements of Father” section of the application.

• Although copies of various documents must be uploaded into the e-CRBA application, parents must present original documents to the Consular Officer on the day of the interview.

• Form DS-11 (PDF 142 KB): The DS-11 form is the passport application for minors.  A complete DS-11 passport application form should be submitted on the day of the CRBA interview in tandem with the e-CRBA application. Do not sign the DS-11 until requested to do so.  This form must be signed in front of a Consular Officer.
• Form DS-3053 (PDF 421 KB): (Statement of Consent for Issuing a Passport to a Child) If one of the parents is not physically present, the absent parent must complete form DS-3053 and have it signed in the presence of a notary public. Submit the original form with a copy of the ID that was presented to the notary public.  A signed and notarized form DS-3053 is only valid for 90 days from the date it was signed.
• Passport photo for child: The DS-11 passport application must be submitted with one 2-inch x 2-inch or 5 cm x 5 cm photo, taken within the last six months against a white background.  Photos that do not meet these requirements will be rejected.
• Child’s Ethiopian Birth Certificate: An Ethiopian birth certificate is issued by the Ethiopian Vital Events Registration Agency or Woreda.  A copy of the original birth certificate must be uploaded into the e-CRBA application.  The original birth certificate must be presented to the Consular Officer on the day of the interview.
• Proof of the parent(s) U.S. citizenship. A copy of the U.S. passport and the naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship must be uploaded in the e-CRBA application.  The original naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship must be presented on the day of the CRBA interview.  Photocopies of the biographical data page (the page with the photograph) and passport pages showing entry and exit stamps must also be uploaded into the e-CRBA application.
• Non-U.S. citizen parent passport/ identification: Bring a passport or government issued photo identification. Include a translation of ID if the ID is written in any other language other than English.
• Marriage Certificate: A copy of the original marriage certificate must be uploaded in the e-CRBA application.  The original marriage certificate must be presented to the Consular Officer at the interview.
• Divorce or Death Certificate: (If applicable). A copy of a divorce or death certificate must be uploaded in the e-CRBA application. The original divorce or death certificate must be presented to the Consular Officer at the interview.
• Evidence of parents’ relationship: including but not limited to, family photos, letters, emails, pre-natal care documents, etc. These documents must be presented to the Consular Officer at the time of the interview.
• Proof of Physical Presence in the United States of the U.S. citizen parent(s):
  Proof of FIVE years physical presence in the United States of the U.S. citizen parent(s) prior to the date that your child was born. A combination of documents such as, but not limited to, the following: rental leases; property deeds; automobile registrations; insurance for a private business, professional licenses; vaccination or other medical records; property tax records; utility bills; employment records; official school transcripts; military records (to document physical presence while serving in the military); and birth certificates for U.S.-born children. A copy of these documents must be uploaded into the e-CRBA application.  The originals must be presented to the Consular Officer on the day of the interview. Tax records are not proof of physical presence.
• Fees: A $100 fee will be paid at the end of completing the e-CRBA application via Pay.Gov.  A fee of $135 or equivalent in Birr for the passport application for applicants under 16 years old will be accepted on the day of the interview. Please note that only the $135 fee for the passport application will be accepted on the day of the interview.  The passport fee cannot be paid for minors on Pay.Gov.  We accept cash in U.S. dollars or Birr and credit cards as payment for the passport application fee.  We do not accept personal checks.
• IMPORTANT: If the documents are incomplete, inaccurate, or otherwise insufficient, your CRBA application may be denied. 

Note: ALL ITEMS ISSUED IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE MUST BE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH. FOREIGN LANGUAGE DOCUMENTS WITHOUT AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. EXAMPLES INCLUDE BIRTH CERTIFICATES, MARRIAGE CERTIFICATES AND IDENTIFICATION CARDS.

Please access the e-CRBA application here.