Which document proves U.S. citizenship for a child born abroad?

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240), obtained by reporting the birth to a U.S. embassy or consulate. It documents that the child was a U.S. citizen at birth. It is not a birth certificate and is not proof of legal parents or custody.

Is SENTRI an identity document?

No. SENTRI is a CBP trusted traveler program that grants access to dedicated lanes at specified land border ports along the U.S.-Mexico border, using an RFID card and an approved vehicle. It does not replace a passport or a Social Security card.

Does every noncitizen need a Social Security number?

No. In general, only noncitizens authorized to work by the Department of Homeland Security can get a Social Security number. Lawfully admitted noncitizens can get many benefits and services without one, and a nonwork number requires a federal or state law that requires it for a benefit or service.

Federal Identity Documents by Situation

Which document answers which question

Start from the situation. Each row names one situation, the document that answers it, and the guide that states the process. No row is a substitute for another row.

Situation	Start here	What the document does
Crossing the U.S.-Mexico land border often, in a vehicle	SENTRI Trusted Traveler Program	RFID card for dedicated SENTRI lanes, with a CBP-approved vehicle; 5-year participation; $120 application fee
An adopted child needs a number or a card in the new name	Social Security Number and Card for an Adopted Child	Original number, or a corrected card under the new name; no charge
A child was born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent	Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240)	Records citizenship acquired at birth; Form DS-2029 at the embassy or consulate; $100 application fee
A noncitizen needs a Social Security number	Social Security Number for a Noncitizen	Immigrant-visa, Enumeration Beyond Entry, or in-person route, kept separate; no charge
A newborn in the United States needs a Social Security card	Social Security Card for a Newborn	Hospital birth-registration route or Social Security office route for a newborn's card
A name change must be reflected on a Social Security card	How to Change Your Name on a Social Security Card	Name-change request on the SSA record and replacement card
A Social Security card was lost or stolen	How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Social Security Card	Replacement card process and limits
A first U.S. passport is needed	How to Apply for a First U.S. Passport	First passport application process
A U.S. passport must be renewed	How to Renew a U.S. Passport	Renewal process, distinct from a first application
A passport must be obtained fast	How to Get a U.S. Passport Fast	Expedited and urgent-travel routes for a passport
A passport is for a child under 16	U.S. Passport for a Child Under 16	Child passport rules, distinct from adult and 16-17 rules
A passport is for a 16- or 17-year-old	U.S. Passport for 16- and 17-Year-Olds	Passport rules for applicants age 16 and 17
A passport must be changed or corrected	How to Change or Correct a U.S. Passport	Change or correction of a passport already issued
A passport was lost, stolen, or damaged	How to Replace a Lost or Stolen U.S. Passport; How to Replace a Damaged U.S. Passport	Replacement routes, kept apart by whether the passport was lost or stolen or damaged
A passport was lost or stolen abroad	How to Replace a Lost or Stolen U.S. Passport Abroad	Replacement from abroad, distinct from replacement inside the United States
Living abroad and needing a U.S. passport	U.S. Passport While Living Abroad	Passport process for applicants living abroad
A passport application is already filed	How to Check Your U.S. Passport Application Status	Status check for a filed application
Choosing between a passport book and a passport card	U.S. Passport Card vs Passport Book	Book and card uses, kept apart
Passport photo rules	U.S. Passport Photo Requirements	Photo requirements for a passport application
Comparing trusted traveler programs	TSA PreCheck vs Global Entry vs NEXUS	Comparison of the three programs; SENTRI is covered in its own guide above

Every slug in this table was verified against the live box file list on 2026-11-03 before this directory was written. No slug is carried from memory or from a search snippet.

Do not use one document for another document's job

The mistakes in this area are substitutions. Each of the following is a substitution this directory exists to prevent:

A CRBA is not a birth certificate. Do not file a CRBA application to obtain a birth record, and do not treat the foreign birth certificate as proof of U.S. citizenship at birth.
A replacement CRBA procedure is not an original CRBA application. An original CRBA comes only from reporting the birth to the embassy or consulate. The replacement procedure uses a different form and a different office.
A corrected Social Security card is not a new Social Security number. A name change puts the new name on the existing record. A new, different number is a separate request, and the conditions for one were not verified on a primary page for the adopted-child guide.
A SENTRI card is not a passport. SENTRI grants lane access at specified ports with an approved vehicle. It does not replace the travel document required for entry.
An immigrant-visa SSN request is not an Enumeration Beyond Entry request. The immigrant-visa route is filed with the Department of State before entry. The EBE route is filed on a USCIS form (I-765, I-485, or N-400) inside the United States. The in-person route is filed at a Social Security office after the immigration document is received. Each route's documents belong to that route.
A Social Security number is not a work permit. A nonwork number cannot be used to work, and a person without work authorization can get a number only where a federal or state law requires one for a benefit or service, with the agency letter SSA specifies.

Passport guides by situation

For the full passport index, including every passport guide on the site, see the U.S. Passport Guides by Situation directory. The passport rows in the table above are the situations that arise alongside the Social Security, CRBA, and SENTRI questions in this directory. They are not a second passport index.

Explainers

SENTRI Trusted Traveler Program — dedicated lanes, RFID card, approved vehicles, fees, and the 5-year period.
Social Security Number and Card for an Adopted Child — original number, corrected card, and the unverified new-number question.
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240) — original application at the embassy or consulate, and the physical-presence rules.
Social Security Number for a Noncitizen — the three routes kept separate, with each route's timing and documents.

Source

Sources: the four new guides in this experiment, each with its own Source section and verified facts dated 2026-11-03; the live box file list for the passport and Social Security guide slugs linked above, verified by file listing on 2026-11-03. Facts verified 2026-11-03. No figure is stated in this directory that is not stated in the guide it links to. The SENTRI $120 and $42 fees and the CRBA $100 fee are stated in their guides from the fee regulations cited there, and are repeated here only as the guides state them. No new figure is introduced in this directory.

This page explains how the process works and what the official rules say. It is general information, not legal advice. For a dispute about your specific situation, talk to the relevant agency: U.S. Customs and Border Protection for SENTRI, the Social Security Administration for Social Security numbers and cards, or the U.S. embassy or consulate or the Department of State for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad.