Giving birth in the United States

This page was prepared for families whose child will be born or has been newly born in the United States. We explain step by step the citizenship of a child born in the United States, how to obtain the official birth certificate, how to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) at the hospital, and how to obtain the first U.S. passport. For registering the child in the Turkish civil registry, see 8.3 Registering the child in the Turkish civil registry.

• A child born in the United States becomes a U.S. citizen at birth. The immigration status of the mother and father does not change this.
• Executive Order 14160, dated January 20, 2025, sought to exclude from citizenship children whose parents were unlawfully or temporarily present in the United States.
• On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Trump v. Barbara (No. 25-365). According to the ruling, children whose parents are unlawfully or temporarily present (for example, with tourist, student, or work visas) are also U.S. citizens at birth.
• The only important exception is that a child may not acquire U.S. citizenship at birth if, at the time of birth, one of the parents is an accredited foreign diplomat serving in the United States.
• Your child’s citizenship does not give you immigration status. A child can file a green card petition for a parent only after reaching at least 21 years of age as a U.S. citizen. See 3.2 Green card through family.

• Spelling of names: The names of the mother and father that you provide at the hospital for the birth certificate must be exactly the same as in your Turkish civil registry records. The Turkish consulate requires an inconsistent birth certificate to be corrected first.
• Baby’s name: When registering in the Turkish civil registry, the name is written using Turkish letters, with no more than three given names and without hyphens or periods. See 8.3.
• Insurance: You have limited time to add the baby. See 8.2 Birth expenses.

1. The hospital collects information about the mother, father, and baby for birth registration. Using this information, a birth notification is submitted to the state vital records office.
2. The same form asks whether you want a Social Security Number (SSN) for the baby. If you answer “Yes,” the application is completed at the hospital. This process is called “Enumeration at Birth” (EAB).
   • The application is free.
   • All 50 states, New York City, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico participate in this system.
   • Approximately 99% of SSNs issued to babies are issued this way.
3. The hospital gives you Form SSA-2853 (Message from Social Security). This document is your application receipt. The time required for the card to arrive varies by state and is stated on the receipt.
4. If you did not request an SSN at the hospital, you can start the application on the SSA website or apply at an SSA office using Form SS-5.
   • A birth certificate is required to establish the baby’s age. SSA must verify the birth certificate with the state. This may delay delivery of the card.
   • For identification, children ages 0–5 must first provide a U.S. passport or state identification card. If these are unavailable, documents such as a doctor’s or hospital record, an immunization record, a health insurance or Medicaid card showing the child’s name and date of birth, or a daycare record may be accepted.
5. Your child’s SSN is needed to claim the child as a dependent on a tax return, open a bank account in the child’s name, and apply for health insurance and government services.
6. For the Child Tax Credit, the SSN must be obtained before the tax return filing deadline. See 8.7.

• The official birth certificate is issued not by the hospital but by the vital records office of the state or county where the birth occurred. You can request a copy online, by mail, or in person. The addresses for all states are listed by the CDC.
• Usually, only the mother or father named on the document (or the person who has reached age 18) can obtain the copy. Photo identification is required.
• For a U.S. passport, the document must include: the place of birth (city, county, or state), the date the birth was filed within one year after birth, an official seal, the signature of the registrar, the full names of the mother and father, and the child’s name, date of birth, and place of birth.
• An electronic or phone-based birth certificate is not accepted for a passport. The paper original is required.
• The “hospital birth certificate” with the baby’s footprints provided by the hospital is not an official birth certificate. It can be used only as secondary evidence for a passport.
• Requesting more than one certified copy makes things easier. Separate original documents are required for U.S. passport and Turkish consulate procedures.

Examples from states with large Turkish communities:

• New York State (excluding New York City) — NYS Department of Health, Vital Records
  • Order online or by phone: $45 per copy + service fee charged by the intermediary
  • By mail: $30 per copy. Address: New York State Department of Health, Vital Records Certification Unit, P.O. Box 2602, Albany, NY 12220-2602
  • Call center: +1 855 322 1022
  • Records for people born in New York City’s five boroughs are held by the city health department: nyc.gov – Birth certificates
• New Jersey — Office of Vital Statistics and Registry
  • The first certified copy is $25, and each additional copy requested at the same time is $2. A check or money order should be made payable to “Treasurer, State of New Jersey.”
  • If an apostille is required, indicate this on the application form. The New Jersey Department of the Treasury places the apostille on the wet-signed copy provided to you.
• Florida — Bureau of Vital Statistics
  • Address: 1217 N Pearl St., Jacksonville, FL 32202 (weekdays 08:00–16:30)
  • Fee: first document $9, each additional copy $4, expedited processing additional $10. Normal processing time is 3–5 business days.
• Texas — DSHS Vital Statistics
  • Phone: +1 888 963 7111 (weekdays 08:00–16:00)
• Illinois — IDPH Division of Vital Records
  • Processing time for applications by mail is approximately 12 weeks.
  • For apostilles, Illinois Secretary of State: +1 800 252 8980

1. Complete the form. Complete Form DS-11 using the State Department’s form-filling tool and print it single-sided. Do not sign the form until the acceptance agent asks you to.
2. Proof of citizenship: the original certified U.S. birth certificate and a photocopy of its front side.
3. Parental identification: photo identification for both parents (usually a driver’s license) and photocopies of the front and back. If your identification was issued by another state, bring a second photo ID.
4. One photograph: it must comply with passport photo requirements. Do not staple the photo to the form; the agent will inspect and attach it.
5. Apply in person with the child. Both parents must come with the child.
6. Make two separate payments: the passport fee to the State Department and the acceptance fee to the location where you apply.
7. If one parent cannot come: the absent parent signs Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) before a notary. The form must be submitted within 90 days after signing. A copy of the identification shown to the notary must also be attached.
8. If a parent is abroad: in some countries, DS-3053 can be notarized only at a U.S. mission. As of October 1, 2026, Türkiye is not on this list.
9. Sole custody: bring a document such as a court order showing that you have sole custody, a birth certificate listing only your name, or the deceased parent’s death certificate.
10. If the other parent cannot be reached: complete Form DS-5525 (Statement of Exigent/Special Family Circumstances). Additional documentation may be requested.
11. A passport for a child under age 16 is valid for 5 years. A child’s passport cannot be renewed by mail; an in-person application is required each time.

• Passport book: $100 + acceptance fee $35
• Passport card: $15 + $35
• Book and card together: $115 + $35
• Expedited processing: additional $60. For the passport to arrive by mail in 1–3 days, an additional $26.87.
• The passport fee is paid by check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State.” Write the child’s name and date of birth in the memo line.
• Current processing time: routine 4–6 weeks, expedited 2–3 weeks. Mailing time is not included. It may take 2 weeks for the application to reach the State Department and another 2 weeks for the passport to reach you.
• Additional documents such as the birth certificate arrive by separate mail within 4 weeks after the passport.

• Passport acceptance facilities — post offices, libraries, or local government offices
  • Web: Passport acceptance facility locator
  • Ask the location where you will apply whether an appointment is required.
• Passport agencies — for people traveling abroad in less than 3 weeks
  • Appointments are available 14 days before travel.
• For those waiting more than 4 weeks for supporting documents: +1 877 487 2778
• Social Security Administration (SSA) offices — for people who did not request an SSN at the hospital
  • Web: SSA office locator

• Having the mother’s and father’s names written differently at the hospital from those on their Turkish passports. The Turkish consulate will require the document to be corrected.
• Mistaking the hospital’s souvenir birth certificate for an official document.
• Obtaining only one copy of the birth certificate. Passport and consular procedures cannot be handled at the same time.
• Signing the passport form before the acceptance agent asks you to, or printing it double-sided.
• Having DS-3053 notarized and submitting it more than 90 days later.
• Failing to account for processing and mailing times before purchasing a ticket.

• I am in the United States on an F-1 student visa. Will my child be a citizen? Yes. According to the Supreme Court’s June 30, 2026 decision, children born in the United States to parents with temporary status are also citizens at birth. The situation may be different if one parent is an accredited diplomat.
• Does my child’s citizenship give me a right to reside? No. The child can file a petition for a parent only after turning 21.
• Must both parents come for the passport? As a rule, yes. The parent who cannot come provides a notarized Form DS-3053.
• What if my child had been born in Türkiye? If one of the parents is a U.S. citizen, the child may have acquired U.S. citizenship. In that case, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) must be requested from a U.S. mission before the child turns 18. See 4.6 Children.

• Form DS-11: Passport application (PDF)
• DS-11 form-filling tool
• Form DS-3053: Statement of parental consent (PDF)
• Form DS-5525: Statement of special family circumstances (PDF)
• Form SS-5: SSN application (PDF)
• Start an SSN application online (SSA)
• Check passport application status
• List of state vital records offices (CDC)
• New York State birth certificate application form DOH-4380 (PDF)
• Florida birth certificate application form DH726 (PDF)