Birth Certificate Copies: Born in the U.S.
We will contact the vital office in the country where you were born to get a copy of your birth certificate. Follow the instructions for requesting copies and paying fees. If you need a quick copy, ask about expedited service or delivery while placing your order.
Birth Certificate Copies: Americans Born Abroad
If you were born to American parents abroad, they should have registered your birth with the country’s U.S. embassy or consulate. If they did, they would have received a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). You can get a copy of this report from the U.S. Department of State. Depending on the country, a vital records office in the nation may also list the birth.
If the Department of State isn’t able to locate your CRBA and you were born on a military base abroad, your parents may not have registered your birth with the U.S. embassy. In that case, you may have to contact the hospital where you were born.
Birth Certificate Copies: Born Abroad and Adopted by U.S. Parents
A child born in a foreign country and adopted by a U.S. citizen will not receive a U.S. birth certificate. The country in which you were born will have issued it. To get a copy, contact the nearest foreign embassy or consulate for that country. If you need an authenticated copy and it’s not in English, ask the embassy for help to get it translated.
If you were adopted from another country by a U.S. citizen, you should have copies of your naturalization/citizenship papers. If you don’t, submit an application for replacement of the naturalization/citizenship form. For help, contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.