Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad

April 15, 2013

When a U.S. citizen dies abroad, Consular Officers

  • Confirm the death, identity, and U.S. citizenship of the deceased.
  • Notify the next-of-kin.
  • Provide information about the disposition of the remains and the personal 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 the disposition of the remains in accordance with instructions from the next-of-kin or legal representative.
  • Oversee the performance of the disposition of the remains and the 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 United States.

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;
  • An administrative document that provides essential facts about the death, disposition of remains, and custody of the personal estate of the deceased U.S. citizen;
  • Generally used in legal proceedings in the United States as proof of death;
  • Based on the foreign death certificate, and cannot be completed until the foreign death certificate is issued (This can be up to four-to-six weeks, depending on the country).

What is a Foreign Death Certificate?

A Foreign Death Certificate is:

  • Issued by the local authority, often the registrar of deaths.
  • Written in the local language and prepared according to local laws.
  • In some instances, not accepted in the United States for insurance and estate purposes.

Obtaining Copies of the Report of Death

  • A Consular Officer will send the family up to 20 certified copies at the time of death at no fee.
  • Additional copies can be obtained by contacting:

Department of State,
Passport Vital Records Section
1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 510
Washington, D.C. 20036
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; and
  • 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 the above address 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.


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