← The CRBA guide

Lost the FS-240? Here's the calm version

A lost CRBA doesn't threaten your child's citizenship — the citizenship exists with or without the paper. You're replacing the proof, and that's a form, a fee, and a wait.

File Form DS-5542, notarized, with US$50 per copy and a copy of your photo ID — currently four to eight weeks, no expedite.

The same form handles amendments (name corrections, date fixes), with original or certified supporting records attached. And a planning note worth repeating: order a spare certified copy while you're at it — the second copy is the cheap insurance against doing this twice.

Checked against travel.state.gov — July 2026
The steps

Replacement, start to finish

  1. Complete Form DS-5542

    The single current form for both replacement and amendment. For an amendment, attach original or issuing-authority-certified records that establish the correction — ordinary photocopies won't be accepted.

  2. Get it notarized

    The form must be signed before a notary. Include a front-and-back copy of your valid photo ID.

  3. Pay US$50 per copy

    Check or money order in US dollars, drawn on a US financial institution, payable to the U.S. Department of State. Ordering two copies costs US$100 and saves a future you.

  4. Mail the packet

    To the Passport Vital Records Section (address below). From outside the US, follow the State Department's overseas instructions or ask the nearest embassy or consulate.

  5. Wait — realistically

    The published range is four to eight weeks excluding mailing, with no expedited option. Recent applicants have reported two to four months, so plan nothing around the minimum.

Where it goesU.S. Department of State
Passport Vital Records Section
44132 Mercure Cir.
PO Box 1213
Sterling, VA 20166-1213

Older documents: the DS-1350 Certification of Report of Birth stopped issuing on December 31, 2010, but existing copies remain valid; replacements now come as an FS-240. Certain pre-1990 records may also require the original FS-545 and can take materially longer.

Common questions

Replacement questions, answered plainly

How do I replace a lost CRBA?
File Form DS-5542, notarized, with a front-and-back copy of your valid photo ID and a US$50 check or money order per copy, payable to the U.S. Department of State and drawn on a US bank. Mail it to the Passport Vital Records Section in Sterling, Virginia. The State Department currently quotes four to eight weeks, with no expedited option.
How much does a replacement CRBA cost?
US$50 per certified copy, paid by check or money order in US dollars drawn on a US financial institution, payable to the U.S. Department of State.
Can I expedite a replacement CRBA?
No — the State Department states expedited processing is unavailable for replacements. Recent applicants have reported waits beyond the published four-to-eight-week range, so never schedule anything that depends on the document arriving by a specific date.
What if we're overseas when we lose it?
Follow the State Department's overseas instructions or contact the nearest US embassy or consulate for how to submit from abroad. If the child needs to travel before a replacement arrives, the priority is the passport — the CRBA is proof of citizenship, not a travel document.
I have a DS-1350 Certification of Report of Birth — is it still valid?
Yes. The DS-1350 was discontinued at the end of 2010, but previously issued copies remain valid evidence of citizenship. If you request a replacement today, you'll receive an FS-240 instead.
How do I correct an error on a CRBA?
Same form (DS-5542), plus original or issuing-authority-certified records establishing the correction — ordinary photocopies don't count. Submit the original CRBA with the request; if it's lost, include a notarized statement explaining the loss.

Filing for the first time instead? The full process — eligibility, the KL sequence, documents, fees, and the four clocks — is in the main guide.

Read the CRBA guide →