When an American Citizen dies abroad, Consular Officers:
- Confirm the death, identity and U.S. citizenship of the deceased.
- Notify the next-of-kin if they do not already know about the death.
- Provide information about disposition of the remains and the effects of the deceased.
- Provide guidance on forwarding funds to cover costs.
- Serve as provisional conservator of the estate, if there is no legal representative in the country.
- Prepare documents for disposition of the remains in accordance with instructions from the next-of-kin or legal representative.
- Oversee the performance of disposition of the remains and distribution of the effects of the deceased.
- Send signed copies of the Consular Report of Death of an U.S. Citizen Abroad to the next-of-kin or legal representative for
use in settling estate matters in the U.S.
What is a Foreign Death Certificate?
A Foreign Death Certificate:
- Is issued by the local authority, often the registrar of deaths.
- Is written in the local language and prepared according to local laws.
- May not be accepted in the U.S. for insurance and estate purposes.
What is a Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad?
A Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad is:
- Issued by a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
- Provides essential facts about the death, disposition of remains, and custody of the estate of the deceased American.
- Generally used in legal proceedings in U.S. as proof of death.
- Based on the foreign death certificate, and cannot be completed until the death certificate is issued (can be up to 4-6 weeks,
depending on the country).
Obtaining Copies of the Report of Death:
- Consular Officer will send the family up to 20 certified copies at the time of death at no fee.
- Additional copies can be received by contacting:
Department of State,
Passport Vital Records Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 510
Washington, D.C. 20522-1705
Tel. (202) 955-0307
- You must submit a notarized written request to the above address, with the following information:
- Full name of the deceased
- Date and place of death
- A copy of requester's valid identification
- Your return address and telephone number
- Signature of requester
- Appropriate fees, payable to the “Department of State” by check or money order
- There is a $50 fee for each additional certified copy of a Report of Death.
- Overnight Delivery: Send your request to our office using overnight delivery for quicker service. To have your records returned to you using
overnight delivery, include an additional $12.85 with your request or a pre-paid envelope for the delivery service provider
of your choice.