Bruneian civil records are held at home, and the identity card is the thread that runs through them. Its category records whether the holder is a citizen, a permanent resident or something else, and that distinction determines what a family can do.
Quick facts
That distinction is not a technicality. Brunei has a long-established population of permanent residents who are not citizens, many of them families resident for generations, and their documents and travel arrangements differ from a citizen’s. If your family falls into that category, say so when you contact the embassy.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Civil certificates | Charged in Brunei | Obtained locally |
| Identity card matters | Charged in Brunei | Authorities there |
| Consular certification | Consular tariff | At the embassy |
| U.S. certificate and apostille | $15–$50 plus $3–$25 | State offices |
| Translation | Rarely needed | English is widely used |
For a child born in the United States to Bruneian parents, the American certificate is apostilled and the parents’ identity documents establish the link. Ask the embassy what follows for the child’s own status.
How to file
- Confirm the parents’ identity card categories.
- Order the child’s U.S. birth certificate.
- Have it apostilled by that state’s Secretary of State.
- Ask the embassy what its process requires in your case.
- Arrange for Bruneian records to be obtained locally where needed.
- Keep copies before anything travels.
Required documents
- Parents’ Bruneian passports and identity cards.
- Child’s U.S. birth certificate, apostilled.
- Parents’ marriage certificate where applicable.
- Proof of status in the United States.
- Photographs where a document is being issued.
- Completed forms from the embassy.
Where to file
At the embassy in Washington, within its hours.
Additional notes
Status before anything else
Citizen and permanent resident are genuinely different positions in Brunei. Establish yours before starting a file.
Ask about the child’s status
It does not always follow automatically from the parents’. Ask rather than assume.
English is usable
A saving worth remembering when comparing costs with other countries.
Keep copies
Every later procedure asks for the identity card again.