The founding document of Iranian civil life is the shenasnameh, the booklet birth certificate. It is not a single sheet but a record that accumulates entries over a lifetime — marriage, children, and eventually death — and it is required alongside other documents for property, banking and inheritance inside Iran.
Quick facts
Registering a child born in the United States is what gives them a shenasnameh and, later, a national identity number. The Interests Section handles it, and the Mikhak registration comes first as with everything else.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration of a birth abroad | Consular tariff | Through the Interests Section |
| National identity card | Consular tariff | After the record exists |
| Adding a photo to a shenasnameh | Charged in Iran | Required from age 15 |
| U.S. certificate and legalisation | $15–$50 plus chain fees | No apostille route |
| Certified Persian translation | Per page | Usually produced in Iran |
Marriage and divorce in Iran are governed by family law applied through the civil registry and the courts, and documents from abroad have their own recognition process. Those cases need advice rather than a checklist.
How to file
- Register on the Mikhak portal and select the civil registration service.
- Order the child’s U.S. birth certificate from the state vital records office.
- Put it through the certification chain, ending at the Interests Section.
- Gather both parents’ Iranian documents, including the shenasnameh of the Iranian parent.
- Send the package with a prepaid tracked return envelope.
- Apply for the identity card and then a passport once the record exists.
Required documents
- Child’s U.S. birth certificate, legalised.
- Iranian parent’s shenasnameh and national identity card.
- Iranian parent’s passport.
- Other parent’s identification.
- Parents’ marriage documentation.
- Mikhak reference and completed forms.
Where to file
At the Iranian Interests Section in Washington, by post or in person.
Additional notes
Guard the shenasnameh
It is the document everything else rests on, and replacing it from abroad is slow and difficult. Keep the original safe and scans separately.
Think about the consequences first
Registering a child creates an Iranian legal identity, which carries obligations as well as rights. The citizenship page explains why that is worth considering carefully.
The photo rule at fifteen
A shenasnameh without a photograph will not support a passport application for anyone over fifteen, and the photo is added in Iran.
Keep copies of everything
With a single office and postal filing, a lost package is a serious setback.