DS-5507 is the Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence and Support, a U.S. Department of State form on which a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national parent swears to their own status, their children, and their physical presence or residence in the United States and abroad. The Department uses it as supporting evidence when it decides claims to U.S. citizenship or non-citizen U.S. nationality by birth abroad. On FillingPDF you can fill out the form online and download or print the completed PDF; the oath parts must still be signed before an authorized person, and the official PDF is published by the Department of State at eforms.state.gov.
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What is DS-5507?
Form DS-5507, Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence and Support, is the U.S. Department of State affidavit in which a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national parent swears to parentage and physical presence or residence, as supporting evidence for a child's claim to U.S. citizenship.
The title printed on the form reads "Affidavit of Physical Presence or Residence, Parentage, and Support." The form is used in adjudicating claims to U.S. citizenship or non-citizen U.S. nationality by birth abroad to a U.S. citizen and/or non-citizen U.S. national parent. It carries OMB Control No. 1405-0187, and the printed edition is DS-5507 01-2024.
The affidavit has three parts:
- Part I: completed by every affiant. It records the parent's name, marital status, how they hold U.S. citizenship or nationality, their children, their periods of physical presence or residence in the United States or its outlying territories/possessions and abroad, and the other parent's details.
- Part II: signed only by the father when a child was born out of wedlock and claims U.S. citizenship through the father.
- Part III: the oath, signed by every affiant with a street address and telephone number.
The Privacy Act statement explains the purpose. The Department uses the information to decide whether a U.S. national parent met the statutory physical presence or residence requirements for the child to acquire U.S. nationality at birth. For a child born abroad out of wedlock, it also checks whether the U.S. national father met the additional requirements of 8 U.S.C. § 1409(a) on biological parentage, legal relationship and financial support.
The form notes that a transmitting U.S. citizen parent who completes Form DS-2029 is not expected to complete this form as well.
Who needs to file DS-5507?
The affiant, meaning the U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national parent of a child born abroad, completes Part I and signs the Part III oath. The form is used in claims to U.S. citizenship or non-citizen U.S. nationality by birth abroad to such a parent.
- Fathers of children born out of wedlock: if the child was born abroad out of wedlock and claims U.S. citizenship through the father, the father also signs Part II. He states that he is the biological father through whom the child claims citizenship and agrees to provide financial support until the child reaches eighteen.
- Other parent's details: Part I asks whether the other parent is a U.S. citizen or national. The other parent's physical presence or residence in the United States is provided only if that parent is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national.
- Exclusion: the form says it is not expected that a transmitting U.S. citizen parent who completes Form DS-2029 would also be required to complete it.
Furnishing the information is voluntary, but the Privacy Act statement warns that leaving it out may delay or prevent you from documenting your child as a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national. A Consular Officer or Passport Specialist may ask for further evidence of your relationship to the child or of your physical presence or residence.
When to file DS-5507
Complete DS-5507 when you are documenting a child born abroad, or in a U.S. territory or possession, as a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national. The form refers to the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and/or U.S. passport, so it is prepared for that application. No separate deadline is printed on it.
Sign Part III, and Part II if it applies, only when you are in front of a Consular Officer, Passport Specialist, Notary Public, or Designated Consular/Acceptance Agent, because the oath must be sworn at that moment. The form estimates 30 minutes to complete, including gathering the information. Because a consular officer or passport specialist may ask for evidence of the relationship or of residence, collect residence records before the oath appointment.
Documents you need
- Evidence of your relationship to the child, only if a Consular Officer or Passport Specialist requires it.
- Evidence of your physical presence or residence in the United States or its outlying territories/possessions, only if a Consular Officer or Passport Specialist requires it.
- Residence evidence the form lists as examples: property rental leases and payment receipts, deeds, utility bills, property tax records, and automobile registrations.
- More residence examples from the form: professional licenses, employment records or information, income tax records, and income records including W-2 salary forms.
- Also listed as residence evidence: stamped school transcripts, military records, and vaccination and medical records.
- An additional page, if the form lacks room for children, marriages and marriage terminations, or periods of presence or residence.
- Exact dates of presence or residence, only if you are asked for them to show the statutory requirements were met.
How to fill out DS-5507
Enter your name and status
In Part I, write your name after "I," then choose one: 1) birth in the United States, 2) naturalization, or 3) birth abroad to U.S. citizen(s) or non-citizen U.S. national(s). Enter the city, court or country and the date in MM-DD-YYYY format.
Give your marital status
Check Married, Previously Married or Single, whichever apply. If married, enter the marriage date and the spouse's name and country; if terminated, give the date and manner, such as death or divorce, or enter N/A.
List your children
For each child enter the name, date of birth (MM-DD-YYYY) and place of birth, then mark whether you are a biological parent, legal parent or other, and specify below. Add a separate sheet if you need more rows.
Record presence in the United States
List each period with place (city, state), From and To dates in MM-DD-YYYY, and purpose. If you claim residence, give your principal dwelling address in the place column.
Record presence or residence abroad
List each period abroad with place, dates and purpose. If you worked abroad, give the employer's name, and specify U.S. government employment, military service or orders as a dependent.
Identify the other parent
Enter the other parent's name and check whether that parent is or is not a citizen or national of the U.S. If a citizen or national, choose how: birth in the United States, naturalization, or birth abroad to U.S. parent(s).
Add the other parent's U.S. presence
Fill in this table only if the other parent is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national. Use the same place, date and purpose format, and attach another page if you need space.
Handle Part II for fathers
Only a father of a child born abroad out of wedlock who claims citizenship through him completes this part. Do not sign until you are before the administering officer.
Complete Part III details
Enter your telephone number and present street address with city, state, country and ZIP code. Leave the signature for the oath, sworn before a Consular Officer, Passport Specialist, Notary Public, or Designated Consular/Acceptance Agent.
Review, download and swear the oath
Check every date format and attach any extra sheets. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF, then sign Part III, and Part II if it applies, before the administering officer.
How to submit DS-5507
DS-5507 prints no mailing address, portal or appointment rule of its own. It supports the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and/or U.S. passport, so it goes in with that application.
- Swear the oath first: Part III, and Part II when it applies, must be signed before a Consular Officer, Passport Specialist, Notary Public, or Designated Consular/Acceptance Agent at the time the oath is sworn. The administering officer signs and adds a seal.
- Submit with the application: deliver the sworn affidavit with the application it supports, through the channel for that application.
- Extra evidence: a Consular Officer or Passport Specialist may require more proof of your relationship to the child or of your physical presence or residence.
The Sterling, VA address in the Paperwork Reduction Act statement (Passport Services, 44132 Mercure Cir, P.O. Box 1199, Sterling, VA 20166-1199) is for comments on the burden estimate, not for sending the form. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Signing Part II or Part III before you are in front of a Consular Officer, Passport Specialist, Notary Public, or Designated Consular/Acceptance Agent; the oath must be sworn when you sign.
- Leaving Part II unsigned when the child was born out of wedlock and claims U.S. citizenship through the father.
- Leaving a period of presence or residence blank because exact dates are unknown; Month and Year (MM-YYYY) is acceptable.
- Claiming residence in the United States without writing the street and house or apartment number of your principal dwelling in the "Place (City,State)" column.
- Entering the other parent's U.S. presence or residence when that parent is not a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national; that section is for them only.
- Squeezing extra children, marriages or periods into the page instead of attaching a separate sheet.
- Omitting the present street address or telephone number in Part III.
- Sending the form to the Sterling, VA address in the Paperwork Reduction Act statement, which is for burden comments only.
- Making false statements; the form warns they are punishable by fine and/or imprisonment under 18 USC 1001.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form DS-5507 used for?
DS-5507 is a U.S. Department of State affidavit used in adjudicating claims to U.S. citizenship or non-citizen U.S. nationality by birth abroad to a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national parent. It gives supporting evidence of parentage, physical presence or residence, and, for some fathers, financial support.
Who has to sign DS-5507?
Every affiant, meaning the U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national parent, signs the Part III oath. A father also signs Part II if the child was born abroad out of wedlock and claims U.S. citizenship through him. Both signatures must be made when the oath is sworn.
Does DS-5507 have to be notarized?
Parts II and III must be signed before a Consular Officer, Passport Specialist, Notary Public, or Designated Consular/Acceptance Agent at the time the oath is sworn. A notary is one of the permitted officers, not the only one.
Can I fill out DS-5507 online?
Yes. You can fill out the DS-5507 PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit the affidavit; you sign the oath parts before an authorized officer and deliver the form with your application.
Where do I send Form DS-5507?
The form prints no address for submission. It supports the application for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad and/or U.S. passport, so it goes in with that application. The Sterling, VA address on the form is only for comments on the burden estimate.
What if I do not know exact dates of my stays?
Month and Year, or MM-YYYY, is acceptable when exact dates of physical presence or residence are unknown. You may later be asked for exact dates to confirm that the statutory requirements have been met.
Do I need to list the other parent's time in the United States?
Only if the other parent is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national. The form says to provide that table only in that case; otherwise you just give the other parent's name and mark that they are not a citizen or national.
Do I need DS-5507 if I completed Form DS-2029?
The form says it is not expected that a transmitting U.S. citizen parent who completes Form DS-2029 would also be required to complete DS-5507. A Consular Officer or Passport Specialist may still ask for more evidence.
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