Consular Notification thingy of Birth Abroad

I didn't use a notary on my last one. I had a local attorney friend certify it, and they had no trouble accepting the stamp from that. That's significantly cheaper!

Thanks for the heads up - I asked local solicitors, but was asking for 'notary' rather than 'certify'... if/when there's a #3, will remember that.

When you renew passport for minor, do you need to have the same form certified if other parent can't attend?

I'll be doing this in the spring.  I'll be submitting transcripts as proof of US residency.  Do they need to be sealed? 

I don't think most of us took anything like that. I know it says you need them, but we didn't have anything like that. They ask you a handful of questions to see if you understand cultural things in the US (for instance, I got asked about my elementary school and how I got to school with one child and about my high school mascot with another. That one was a breeze because by bizarre coincidence, my interviewer was married to someone who went to my high school!)

My transcripts were official- but not sealed. 

Hi all! I am filling out form DS-2029 to register my son's birth with the consulate in Edinburgh. Questions 24/25 ask for the "precise periods of time in the US." Can I include times that I traveled in these blocks of time, or do I need to have them broken down around trips outside of the US. For example, can I list my home address for ten years once, or do I have to list it seven times and leave out the dates I traveled abroad?

Thanks in advance for any info you might have.

I left this question until we were talking with the officer and asked him exactly how he wanted me to answer it. I basically listed "From birth on Oct 197X-Sept 198X - State of XX. Oct 198X-Jan 200X - State of XX." etc. I included a typed list of my travel abroad. There were one or two other things I left until we were there with the officer, it wasn't a big deal when I explained that we didn't want to write in the wrong thing.

For people who have done this before - do you recommend waiting until after baby has arrived before booking an appointment?  Or should I book an appointment in advance for a few weeks after baby's due date?

I want to try to beat the summer holiday rush as we are planning a visit to the US in August.

KFdancer - they release appointments 3 weeks in advance, one week at a time. I had all of my paperwork ready before DD2 was born, so it was just a matter of getting her birh certificate at the registrar's and getting her photo taken before booking our appointment.

You can watch the appointment availability by following the 'book appt' link. I think they open up appointments late Fri night/Sat.

We did get advised to avoid trying to come during school holidays - it gets manic, so just watch that term break around Easter.

Thanks for that TexasGirl.  Good to know I'd be okay to book an appointment before she's here.  And great suggestion about avoiding the Easter holidays!

Now if only we could decide on a name for this little girl....   

Well, whatever you do, don't let your 'Finding Nemo'-obsessed 4 yr old pick names!! DD1 is bitterly disappointed that DD2 is not named Peach!
Congrats! (We are heading down next week to renew DD1's passport - let me know if you need any up-to-date info.)

Lol!  It's our first so no children influencing the name.  Although our nephew had requested "T-Rex" if it was a boy!

Just got back from the London Embassay... A few changes that you may be aware of, but I wasn't so reporting back:

1- You can bring a cell phone & key fob.  You can also take an ipad/ipod.  You CANNOT take anything with a keyboard, so no laptop and no keyboard that attaches to ipad.

2- There is now a vending machine which has tea/coffee, soda/water, snacks (including hershey chocloate & butterfingers...)

The current wait is 2 - 3 weeks for passport.  8 weeks for social security card.

Also, because this was the 2nd birth we registered at the embassay, they didn't need to see any supporting docs (ie transcripts, etc...)

Cheers

Meggles - does the vending machine take dollars or pounds? I would do anything for a Butterfinger bar!!!

Now if only we could decide on a name for this little girl....   

Oh congratulations KFdancer! A little girl, how sweet