Death

Hospitals or local police may notify our embassy or consulate of a U.S. citizen’s death. We then attempt to locate and notify the next of kin. We can help the family or legal representative of the deceased U.S. citizen by sharing important information. This includes details about local burial, shipment of remains or effects, and other arrangements. 

The burial or cremation of a body must follow U.S. and foreign law. Options depend on the foreign country's facilities and local customs. These are often different from those in the United States.

The Department of State can't pay to return U.S. citizens' remains or ashes to the United States. However, we can help you send instructions to the right offices in that foreign country. We can also help you send private funds to cover shipment and other costs.

A CRODA is an electronic or paper administrative report of death issued by the U.S. Department of State.

CRODAs are issued in English by the U.S. embassy or consulate. We cannot typically issue a CRODA without a foreign death certificate or a finding of death by a competent local authority.

A foreign death certificate is:       

• Issued by the local (foreign) competent authority, often by the civil registry of that country.
• Written in the local language and prepared according to local laws.
• In many instances, not accepted in the United States for insurance and estate purposes.

After getting the foreign death certificate, the nearest embassy or consulate may prepare a CRODA. We give copies of the CRODA to the next of kin or legal representative. You can use the CRODA in the United States to settle estate matters.

Understanding CRODAS and e-CRODAS

CRODAs provide the essential facts about the death. It is generally used as proof of death to assist in the settlement of the estate. 

When a U.S. citizen dies abroad, U.S. consular officers are there to help. Consular officers can work with local authorities and the deceased U.S. citizen's legal representative for the process to return the remains to the United States. Options available to a family depend on local law and practice in the foreign country.  The embassy or consulate can provide a list of local funeral homes and a list of local lawyers.

U.S. and foreign laws generally require 4 documents to send remains to the United States: 

• Consular mortuary certificate - Used for the orderly travel and customs process for the remains. The certificate is in English and has essential information about the transport of remains. It  is prepared by a consular officer.
• Local death certificate - Issued by the local registrar of deaths or similar local authority. It identifies the remains by giving the name, place, date, and cause of death as certified by the competent local authority. This certificate should be duly authenticated as required under local law.
• Affidavit from a local funeral director - Confirms that only the remains, clothing, and packing materials are in the casket. The affidavit may also say that the remains have been embalmed or otherwise prepared. The affidavit complies with the customs requirement that the casket and case contain only the remains.
• Transit permit - Local health authorities at the port of embarkation may also issue a transit permit with the name, sex, and age of the deceased, date, and cause of death.

Depending on the circumstances of the death, you may need to provide more documents. The consular officer will make sure all required documents go with the remains to the United States.

U.S. entry requirements for customs and quarantine

The local death certificate and the consular mortuary certificate for the remains usually meet U.S. quarantine needs. The documents must show that the deceased U.S. citizen did not die from a quarantinable disease. They should also confirm that someone has embalmed the remains.

Shipment of unembalmed remains

Embalming is not needed to enter the United States if these conditions apply: 

• A death certificate accompanies the remains. The certificate says the cause of death isn't a quarantinable communicable disease.
• The remains are shipped in a leak-proof container. 

The local government abroad may not permit shipping of unembalmed remains. Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate in that country for help.