Obtaining a US passport and social security card for a child born abroad in Hungary

U.S. citizens who travel to other countries sometimes have children while visiting other parts of the world. This type of situation happens more often than people would realize. Many people who work around the world on assignment in other nations sometimes have children. Also, people who are visiting different countries for extended stays might have children as well. If you are working or visiting overseas in Hungary for an extended time and you end up birthing a child; then you will need to read this information. It will explain the process of obtaining a U.S. passport and social security card for child born in Hungary.

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Apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of the United States of America (CRBA)

The first thing that you must do after you give birth to a child in Hungary, is to apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America. This is a long name for a form. However, it is abbreviated as form CRBA or FS-240. You must contact the nearest U.S. embassy near your location in Hungary. They will provide you with this necessary document for establishing proof of citizenship for your new child.

Keep in mind that U.S. embassy representatives will have to determine if a child is able to acquire citizenship at birth.

Normally citizenship will be determined by the consular office. They will contact the Department of State if they approve of citizenship. The Department of State will then issue a CRBA with your newborn child’s name printed on the document.

Getting a U.S. Passport for a Child Born in Hungary

Once you receive your CRBA, you will be able to get a U.S. passport for your kid and will be able to do things such as register him/her for school and to be able to receive benefits in the future as a citizen. Also, parents can apply for a passport for their newborn son or daughter when they apply for their CRBA. Keep in mind that a valid U.S. passport is also proof of citizenship as well.

Don’t Delay Filing for a CRBA or Passport

Here is something that you must be cautious about.

If you decide to wait to file for a CRBA or a passport your child may have a difficult time receiving U.S. citizenship.

This in turn could cause your child having problems with getting back inside of the United States. It could also cause you and your child issues with receiving benefits as a U.S. citizen. So, you should not delay this process.

Applying for a Passport for Children

The U.S. Embassy in Hungary has specific requirements for parents when they apply for a passport on behalf of their child. One of their primary requirements is that minors who are 16 and under must be accompanied by their parents when they apply for this documentation. This simply means that you must show up with your children who are 16 or younger when applying for a passport. Teens who are 17 and 18 can apply without a parent if they meet other requirements.

All parents will be required to submit information proving that they are the legal authority of their child.

These forms include:

• Certified U.S. Birth Certificate with the parent’s name on the document
• Certified Foreign Birth Certificate. The parent’s names must appear on this form and be properly translated.
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) this form must also have the parent’s name on the document.
• Certificate of Report of Birth (Form DS-1350). This form also requires a parent’s name.
• Adoption Decree. The adopting parents must have their name on this form.
• Court orders establishing guardianship and custody are also accepted as well.

You should also make sure that if you change your name that you have documentation that proves that you made this change to your name. Each parent must also submit other documentation to get a passport for their kid. These documents include:

• Driver License
• Official U.S. Military ID
• U.S. Government ID
• U.S. or Foreign Passport with recognizable photo
• Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate from USCIS with recognizable photo
• Alien Resident Card from USCIS

Both parents must also make sure they are valid documents.

Both parents must also appear together with the child when they apply for a passport. This is important for you to understand. If only one parent comes down to apply for a child’s passport and a child has two parents, then both will need to be present. If not, the passport will probably be denied.

However, there are some exceptions to this requirement. The following exceptions are listed here:

One parent can fill out form DS-3053 “Statement Of Consent: Issuance of a Passport to a Minor Under the Age of 16 when the other parent is not available. This form is a notarized document that is used to represent the other parent’s signature when they are not present.

You can also submit a document known as Form DS-5525 Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances which will allow only one parent to file for a child’s passport

If you are a single parent filing on your own, then you can do so with the following documentation:

• A child’s certified U.S. or foreign birth certificate with the single parent’s name only listed on the document.
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240)
• Certificate of Report of Birth (Form DS-1350)
• Court orders granting sole custody to just the applying parent.
• An adoption decree.
• A court order specifically permitting applying parent’s or guardian’s travel with the child or passport application.
• Court order proving that the non-applying parent has been declared incompetent.
• Show a death certificate of the non-applying parent in the event they had passed away while overseas or at home.

By the way, third party representatives can apply for a passport on behalf of a child when given permission the parents.

They will need to submit a notarized written statement or affidavit from both parents (or guardians) who will authorize them to carry out this action. If you are a sole parent, you must supply your third-party representative with documentation that proves your parentage.

Applying for a Social Security Card for Children Born in Hungary

You can also apply for a social security card when you apply for your child’s CRBA or passport. The documentation listed above for these proofs of citizenship can also be used to get a social security card for your child. You will need to:

• Have proof of your child’s birth.
• Proof of your child’s citizenship.
• Proof of your child’s identity.
• Proof of your (parents) identity.

Once you have these documents you need to fill out specific forms and mail them to the U.S. Embassy in Hungary.

You will also be required to mail in the original documents that prove your child’s and your citizenship. The Hungarian U.S. Embassy will copy your original documents and send them back to you. It will take between 8 – 10 weeks to complete this process.

Ultimately, applying for a passport and social security card for a child is a tedious process and it can be time consuming. Regardless, you should get started on the process as soon as possible. Once you have this documentation do your best to keep it secure. Getting replacement documentation can also take a while to complete.