U.S. Born Baby Travel Documentation
Roadmap to getting foreign passports, citizenship registrations, and travel documents for children born in the United States.
Select Parents' Country of Origin
The process for registering and securing travel documents for your U.S.-born child depends on your nationality. Select your country of origin to load the step-by-step roadmap:
U.S.-Born Baby to OCI Card Roadmap (4 Steps)
Under U.S. law, any baby born on U.S. soil is automatically a U.S. citizen. Under Indian law, dual citizenship is not allowed. Therefore, your baby must be documented as a U.S. citizen and apply for an **OCI (Overseas Citizen of India)** card to reside in or visit India.
At the hospital, fill out the birth registration form. The health department will mail the baby's SSN card within 4 weeks. Once received, go to your county health department and request 3-4 certified physical copies of the **Birth Certificate**.
Make an appointment at a post office or passport agency. Both parents and the baby must appear in person. Bring Form DS-11, baby's birth certificate, 2 photos, and parents' government IDs. Expedited service takes 2-3 weeks.
Under Section 4(1) of the Indian Citizenship Act, the birth must be registered online at the MHA website (`indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in`) using **Form I** (often selected under the "Form S" link on the online portal) within 1 year of birth. You must mail the printed form, visa copies, and the baby's birth certificate to CGI.
Once you have the U.S. Passport and the Indian Birth Registration Certificate, apply for the OCI card via VFS Global. This takes **5 to 8 weeks** to process and print in India.
Photo Tip for Babies
Taking passport photos of a newborn is notoriously difficult. Lay the baby on a white sheet or blanket on the floor, take the photo from above, and crop/edit it to meet standard 2x2 passport specifications. This prevents rejections due to shadows or closed eyes.