carlosalica
12-18-2007, 09:46 PM
I know some people have questions on this, so here is our expierience:
First get all the info you can from the nearest US Consulates website. Depending on which state you are in will determine which consulate you need to go to.
It says you can mail, email or hand deliver your documents. Everyone I talked to ended up hand delivering. We even tried to have a licensiado take our stuff well needless to say we paid for nothing. You can only deliver documents a certain time in the morning so make sure to check the times.
Here is a list of everything you need according to the Guadalajara US Consulate website
The child’s Mexican birth certificate (one certified copy of the long form issued by the civil registry);
Pre-natal medical records, including ultrasounds, blood test, and doctor´s chart, issued by the doctor(s) who attended the mother during her pregnancy in the United States and/or Mexico;
Hospital record of birth (e.g hospital certificate). If one was not issued, you must present a letter from the hospital administration, on its letterhead, giving the details of the child’s birth. If the child was born at home, you must present a letter from the attending physician, on letterhead, giving the details of the birth and the reason why the child was not born in a hospital;
Consular Report of Birth Abroad worksheet (download here) *
Affidavit of physical presence (download here)*
* To download these two forms you will need the AdobeAcrobat Reader. To download this program for free, go to: www.adobe.com
If the mother is a US citizen, proof of her date of entry into Mexico (e.g. her tourist card or FM3);
Proof of the parent(s)’ US citizenship (e.g. passport, certified birth certificate and photo ID, or naturalization certificate);
The parents' marriage certificate (if applicable);
If the US citizen parent does not have a passport, please fill out a DS-11 passport application (down load here);
Proof of termination of all previous marriages (i.e. certified copy of divorce decree or death certificate);
If only one parent is a US citizen, proof of that parent’s physical presence in the United States prior to the child’s birth. For example, if the child was born after 1986, the parent must be able to demonstrate five years of physical presence in the United States, at least two of which must have been after the age of 14. Documents such as tax returns and school records are quite helpful in proving physical presence. For more information on the physical presence requirements, please click here.
The personal appearance of the child is also required.
CRBA fee of USD $65.00, payable via credit card or in cash (dollars or the peso equivalent). :
When we went to take the documents the first time we walked in, got a number and waited for the receptionist to call our number. Our wait was very short. When she called our name I told her that we were there to bring our documents for the first time. She gave me a list of everything we needed (actually shorter than the list above) Everything had to be in the order of that paper. So I went back to put everything in order. Once everything was ready i went back with her again, we got sent back again because you cannot give any originals at that time. I sent my husband to get a couple copies of the birth certificate and something else. I also had originals of my prenatal records that she gave back to me and told me to bring it back to the actual interview.
Once everything was in the order they wanted and there were NO originals she set up an interview about a week after that day. (The website warns that interviews are taking atleast a month.. good thing they were lying)
The day of the interview:
The day of the actual interview is when you need to take originals
We went into the consulate (the baby must come too, (they only allow you to take one diaper, three wipies, and one pre-made bottle so don't try to take a diaper bag in)) So we go in show the interview paper to the guard and he tells us to wait for our name to be called. After a short wait our son's name was called. We went to the receptionist and gave her our interview letter and she told us to sit back down.
About ten minutes later his name was called again with a different lady. She went throught our packet of copies and wanted the orginals of everything. She went through her list and I handed over everything.
For the prenatal records: I gave them EVERYTHING I had. Many people had told me stories of not having enough so I took every last piece of paper. A few things I heard of them asking for was the bill for the hospital and any prenatal records from the US if you were in the US for any of the pregnancy.
After I gave that to her she asked: "Oh is this in chronological order?" I'm like uh no no one told me it needed to be.. so I had to sit there and try and put everything in order and go throught the rest of the stuff she needs. Nice if they would tell you BEFORE the fact.
Onto the proof of 5 years of US residency if just one parent is a USC: I only had 5 years of taxes when we went the first time, the lady kind of hinted that I might want to get more. So I called my mom to get me some more. She ended up just faxing me all of my tax records, high school transcript, and a few other certificates from school, basically anything she could find without digging through stuff. I think I had a couple report cards from 8th grade, but hey it works. Anyway I hand the whole stack to the lady and she's like uh don't you have originals?? (uh-oh) I answered that the tax records were just copies anyway because I efiled on most of them. So she answered she THOUGHT the officer would have to see originals but maybe we'll get away with it. LESSON LEARNED: TAKE ORIGINALS!!
When she was done taking everything she told us to go sit down a wait.. and wait.. and wait...
After everyone else was out of the consulate I was starting to get scared, but they finally called us to go to the receptionist. We went up to the window and she asked for the $65 USD payment (ahhh sigh of relief) Gave her my husbands debit card (she remarked that cards had to be either in the name of the mother or father of the baby) She told us to sit down and wait just a little bit more. Within seconds a man called us to a different window. He asked where I went to highschool at: I answered: hometown, Colorado. Then he asked where we lived before going to Mexico: I answered: TOWN, Minnesota. He made a remark about the snow and said ok I just need to give you back all your originals than you need to go fill out an envelope with the paqueteria (spelling??). And that it should be to us within a week!! We went to the paqueteria and filled out the envelope and paid for delivery about $100 pesos I think. That guy with the paqueteria said it might be about 2 weeks.
In less than a week the package arrived at our house. NOTE: only mother or father or immediate family can sign for the package. When we filled out the envelope there is a place where you can put who can pick up the envelope and we put a friend, but the driver said no it has to be family.
so that is our experience. If i think of anything else, I'll add it.
If it is the dad who is a USC than you have to prove a relationship between the mother and father. Things that are helpful are joint accounts, pictures, anything that proves the relationship to prove that the dad is really the dad and not just lying to get the kids US citizenship.
First get all the info you can from the nearest US Consulates website. Depending on which state you are in will determine which consulate you need to go to.
It says you can mail, email or hand deliver your documents. Everyone I talked to ended up hand delivering. We even tried to have a licensiado take our stuff well needless to say we paid for nothing. You can only deliver documents a certain time in the morning so make sure to check the times.
Here is a list of everything you need according to the Guadalajara US Consulate website
The child’s Mexican birth certificate (one certified copy of the long form issued by the civil registry);
Pre-natal medical records, including ultrasounds, blood test, and doctor´s chart, issued by the doctor(s) who attended the mother during her pregnancy in the United States and/or Mexico;
Hospital record of birth (e.g hospital certificate). If one was not issued, you must present a letter from the hospital administration, on its letterhead, giving the details of the child’s birth. If the child was born at home, you must present a letter from the attending physician, on letterhead, giving the details of the birth and the reason why the child was not born in a hospital;
Consular Report of Birth Abroad worksheet (download here) *
Affidavit of physical presence (download here)*
* To download these two forms you will need the AdobeAcrobat Reader. To download this program for free, go to: www.adobe.com
If the mother is a US citizen, proof of her date of entry into Mexico (e.g. her tourist card or FM3);
Proof of the parent(s)’ US citizenship (e.g. passport, certified birth certificate and photo ID, or naturalization certificate);
The parents' marriage certificate (if applicable);
If the US citizen parent does not have a passport, please fill out a DS-11 passport application (down load here);
Proof of termination of all previous marriages (i.e. certified copy of divorce decree or death certificate);
If only one parent is a US citizen, proof of that parent’s physical presence in the United States prior to the child’s birth. For example, if the child was born after 1986, the parent must be able to demonstrate five years of physical presence in the United States, at least two of which must have been after the age of 14. Documents such as tax returns and school records are quite helpful in proving physical presence. For more information on the physical presence requirements, please click here.
The personal appearance of the child is also required.
CRBA fee of USD $65.00, payable via credit card or in cash (dollars or the peso equivalent). :
When we went to take the documents the first time we walked in, got a number and waited for the receptionist to call our number. Our wait was very short. When she called our name I told her that we were there to bring our documents for the first time. She gave me a list of everything we needed (actually shorter than the list above) Everything had to be in the order of that paper. So I went back to put everything in order. Once everything was ready i went back with her again, we got sent back again because you cannot give any originals at that time. I sent my husband to get a couple copies of the birth certificate and something else. I also had originals of my prenatal records that she gave back to me and told me to bring it back to the actual interview.
Once everything was in the order they wanted and there were NO originals she set up an interview about a week after that day. (The website warns that interviews are taking atleast a month.. good thing they were lying)
The day of the interview:
The day of the actual interview is when you need to take originals
We went into the consulate (the baby must come too, (they only allow you to take one diaper, three wipies, and one pre-made bottle so don't try to take a diaper bag in)) So we go in show the interview paper to the guard and he tells us to wait for our name to be called. After a short wait our son's name was called. We went to the receptionist and gave her our interview letter and she told us to sit back down.
About ten minutes later his name was called again with a different lady. She went throught our packet of copies and wanted the orginals of everything. She went through her list and I handed over everything.
For the prenatal records: I gave them EVERYTHING I had. Many people had told me stories of not having enough so I took every last piece of paper. A few things I heard of them asking for was the bill for the hospital and any prenatal records from the US if you were in the US for any of the pregnancy.
After I gave that to her she asked: "Oh is this in chronological order?" I'm like uh no no one told me it needed to be.. so I had to sit there and try and put everything in order and go throught the rest of the stuff she needs. Nice if they would tell you BEFORE the fact.
Onto the proof of 5 years of US residency if just one parent is a USC: I only had 5 years of taxes when we went the first time, the lady kind of hinted that I might want to get more. So I called my mom to get me some more. She ended up just faxing me all of my tax records, high school transcript, and a few other certificates from school, basically anything she could find without digging through stuff. I think I had a couple report cards from 8th grade, but hey it works. Anyway I hand the whole stack to the lady and she's like uh don't you have originals?? (uh-oh) I answered that the tax records were just copies anyway because I efiled on most of them. So she answered she THOUGHT the officer would have to see originals but maybe we'll get away with it. LESSON LEARNED: TAKE ORIGINALS!!
When she was done taking everything she told us to go sit down a wait.. and wait.. and wait...
After everyone else was out of the consulate I was starting to get scared, but they finally called us to go to the receptionist. We went up to the window and she asked for the $65 USD payment (ahhh sigh of relief) Gave her my husbands debit card (she remarked that cards had to be either in the name of the mother or father of the baby) She told us to sit down and wait just a little bit more. Within seconds a man called us to a different window. He asked where I went to highschool at: I answered: hometown, Colorado. Then he asked where we lived before going to Mexico: I answered: TOWN, Minnesota. He made a remark about the snow and said ok I just need to give you back all your originals than you need to go fill out an envelope with the paqueteria (spelling??). And that it should be to us within a week!! We went to the paqueteria and filled out the envelope and paid for delivery about $100 pesos I think. That guy with the paqueteria said it might be about 2 weeks.
In less than a week the package arrived at our house. NOTE: only mother or father or immediate family can sign for the package. When we filled out the envelope there is a place where you can put who can pick up the envelope and we put a friend, but the driver said no it has to be family.
so that is our experience. If i think of anything else, I'll add it.
If it is the dad who is a USC than you have to prove a relationship between the mother and father. Things that are helpful are joint accounts, pictures, anything that proves the relationship to prove that the dad is really the dad and not just lying to get the kids US citizenship.