(a) In generalWhenever a United States citizen or national dies abroad, a consular officer shall endeavor to notify, or assist the Secretary of State in notifying, the next of kin or legal guardian as soon as possible, except that, in the case of death of any Peace Corps volunteer (within the meaning of section 2504(a) of this title), any member of the Armed Forces, any dependent of such a volunteer or member, or any Department of Defense employee, the consular officer shall assist the Peace Corps or the appropriate military authorities, as the case may be, in making such notifications.
(b) Reports of death or presumptive deathThe consular officer may, for any United States citizen who dies abroad—(1) in the case of a finding of death by the appropriate local authorities, issue a report of death or of presumptive death; or
(2) in the absence of a finding of death by the appropriate local authorities, issue a report of presumptive death.
(c) Implementing regulationsThe Secretary of State shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.
(Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 841, title I, § 43A, as added Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(7) [div. A, title II, § 234(b)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–426.)
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective DatePub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(7) [div. A, title II, § 234(c)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–429, provided that: “The repeal and amendment made by this section [enacting this section and section 2715c of this title and repealing section 4195 of this title] shall take effect six months after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 29, 1999].”
Administrative Assistance in Arrangements Following Death of United States Citizen AbroadPub. L. 95–426, title I, § 121, Oct. 7, 1978, 92 Stat. 970, as amended by Pub. L. 97–241, title V, § 505(a)(2), (b)(1), Aug. 24, 1982, 96 Stat. 299, provided that: “The Congress finds that the Department of State should, in the performance of its consular duties, render all reasonable administrative assistance to a United States citizen who is making necessary arrangements following the death of another United States citizen abroad.”