A Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad is an electronic or paper administrative report:

• Issued in English by the U.S. embassy or consulate and based on the foreign death certificate or finding of death by a local competent authority.
• Providing essential facts about the death, disposition of remains, and custody of the personal estate of the deceased U.S. citizen.
• Generally used in official proceedings in the United States as proof of death.
• Completed when the foreign death certificate or finding of death is issued. This process can take as long as four to six months, depending on the country.

• A PDF copy of the Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad issued by the U.S. embassy or consulate upon its receipt of the foreign death certificate or finding of death by a local competent authority.
• Contains a digital signature of the Consular Officer and a digital seal of the U.S. embassy or consulate. This allows the Consular Officer to send the document to the next of kin and other legal entities by email, which is much faster than by regular post. The recipient can then print out as many copies as they need, at time of receipt or at any time in the future.

Please retain the original PDF of the electronic CRODA.  You can print out as many copies as you need, at time of receipt or at any time in the future.  If you have further questions or require a paper copy, please contact the Consular Section in the consular district where the death occurred.  You also can request additional copies through our Record Services Division.

A foreign death certificate is:       

• Issued by the local (foreign) authority, often by the civil registry of that country.
• 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.

To check the status of your request, contact our Vital Records Office.