For a child born in the United States to Cambodian parents, the embassy runs a specific service: a request for a certified Cambodian birth certificate, issued in Cambodia. That certificate is what gives the child a Cambodian civil identity, and it is a separate matter from their American birth certificate.
Quick facts
The embassy also provides a service that matters greatly to families at the worst moment: a letter for the repatriation of remains to Cambodia. It requires a request letter from the family stating the burial location in Cambodia, a copy of the deceased’s Cambodian passport or identity card showing the name in Khmer, and a certified copy of the death certificate. The embassy asks explicitly that the original death certificate not be sent.
Fees breakdown
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Certified birth certificate request | Published tariff | Certificate issued in Cambodia |
| Letter for repatriation of remains | Published tariff | 7 working days |
| Document legalisation | Published tariff | After federal authentication |
| U.S. certificate | $15–$50 | State vital records office |
| Payment | Money order or cashier’s check | Payable to the embassy |
The requirement that the deceased’s document show the name in Khmer is the kind of detail that stops a file, and it is worth checking on an identity card before it is needed.
How to file
- Complete and sign the request form in full.
- Provide a valid contact number and email address; the embassy requires both.
- Attach the supporting documents that service lists, in the form specified.
- Add the money order or cashier’s check payable to the embassy.
- Include a prepaid return envelope with a tracking number.
- Allow seven working days plus return shipping.
Required documents
- Completed and signed request form.
- Child’s U.S. birth certificate for a birth registration.
- Parents’ Cambodian passports or identity cards.
- For repatriation: request letter with the burial location, identity document showing the name in Khmer, and a certified copy of the death certificate.
- Money order or cashier’s check.
- Prepaid tracked return envelope.
Where to file
At the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Washington, in person or by post.
Additional notes
Check the Khmer spelling now
Whether a name appears in Khmer on an identity document is worth verifying long before a family needs it under pressure.
Do not send originals where told not to
Each service lists what form each document must take. Sending an original where a certified copy was asked for can mean losing it.
Names and transliteration
Khmer names romanise inconsistently. Fix one English spelling and use it across every document.
Keep copies
With a single mission serving the whole country, a lost package is a serious setback.