From the US Department of
State website:
Death or Injury of an
American Citizen Abroad
Death
When an American dies abroad, the Bureau of Consular Affairs
must locate and inform the next-of-kin. Sometimes discovering the
next-of-kin is difficult. If the American’s name is known, the
Bureau’s Office of Passport Services will search for his or her
passport application.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs provides guidance to grieving
family members on how to make arrangements for local burial or
return of the remains to the U.S. The disposition of remains is
affected by local laws, customs, and facilities, which are often
vastly different from those in the U.S. The Bureau of Consular
Affairs relays the family’s instructions and necessary private
funds to cover the costs involved to the embassy or consulate. The
Department of State has no funds to assist in the return of remains
or ashes of American citizens who die abroad. Upon completion of
all formalities, the consular officer abroad prepares an official
Foreign Service Report of Death, based upon the local death
certificate, and sends it to the next-of-kin or legal
representative for use in U.S. courts to settle estate matters.
A U.S. consular officer overseas has statutory responsibility
for the personal estate of an American who dies abroad if the
deceased has no legal representative in the country where the death
occurred. The consular officer takes possession of personal
effects, such as:
The officer prepares an inventory and then carries out
instructions from members of the deceased’s family concerning the
effects. In Washington, the Bureau of Consular Affairs gives
next-of-kin guidance on procedures to follow in preparing Letters
Testamentary, Letters of Administration, and Affidavits of
Next-of-Kin as acceptable evidence of legal claim of an estate.
Injury
In the case of an injured American, the embassy or consulate
abroad notifies the Office of Citizen Services, which notifies
family members in the U.S. The Bureau of Consular Affairs can
assist in sending private funds to the injured American; frequently
it collects information on the individual’s prior medical history
and forwards it to the embassy or consulate. When necessary, the
State Department assists in arranging the return of the injured
American to the U.S. commercially, with appropriate medical escort,
via commercial air ambulance or, occasionally, by U.S. Air Force
medical evacuation aircraft. The use of Air Force facilities for a
medical evacuation is authorized only under certain stringent
conditions, and when commercial evacuation is not possible. The
full expense must be borne by the injured American or his
family.
Privacy Act - The provisions of the Privacy Act
are designed to protect the privacy and rights of Americans, but
occasionally they complicate our efforts to assist citizens abroad.
As a rule, consular officers may not reveal information regarding
an individual Americans location, welfare, intentions, or problems
to anyone, including family members and Congressional
representatives, without the expressed consent of that individual.
Although sympathetic to the distress this can cause concerned
families, consular officers must comply with the provisions of the
Privacy Act.
One of the most important tasks of the Department of State and
of U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is to provide assistance to
U.S. citizens incarcerated abroad. The State Department is
committed to ensuring fair and humane treatment for American
citizens imprisoned overseas. We stand ready to assist incarcerated
citizens and their families within the limits of our authority in
accordance with international law.
We can and do monitor conditions in foreign prisons and can
protest allegations of abuse against U.S. citizen prisoners when
requested to do so. We work with prison officials to ensure
treatment consistent with internationally recognized standards of
human rights and to ensure that Americans are afforded due process
under local laws.
While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that
country's laws and regulations which sometimes differ significantly
from those in the United States and may not afford the protections
available to the individual under U.S. law. As our
Country Specific
Information explain, penalties for breaking the
law can be more severe than in the United States for similar
offenses. Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be
expelled, fined, arrested, or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs
are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and
fines. If arrested abroad, a citizen must go through the foreign
legal process for being charged or indicted, prosecuted, possibly
convicted and sentenced, and for any appeals process. Within this
framework, U.S. consular officers provide a wide variety of
services to U.S. citizens arrested abroad and their families.
Privacy Act - The provisions of the Privacy Act
are designed to protect the privacy and rights of Americans, but
occasionally they complicate our efforts to assist citizens abroad.
As a rule, consular officers may not reveal information regarding
an individual Americans location, welfare, intentions, or problems
to anyone, including family members and Congressional
representatives, without the expressed consent of that individual.
Although sympathetic to the distress this can cause concerned
families, consular officers must comply with the provisions of the
Privacy Act.
The Bureau of Consular Affairs, Overseas Citizens Services is
committed to assisting American citizens who become victims of
crime while traveling, working, or residing abroad.
Government officials, known as consuls or consular officers, at
embassies and consulates in nearly 250 cities throughout the world
are responsible for assisting U.S. citizens who may be traveling,
working, or residing abroad. In addition, in approximately 50
cities where a significant number of Americans reside or visit and
there is no U.S. embassy or consulate, consular agents provide
emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Consuls, consular
agents, and local employees work with their counterparts in the
Bureau of Consular Affairs Overseas Citizens Services Office in
Washington, D.C. to provide emergency and non-emergency services to
Americans abroad.
How to Contact Us
Consular duty personnel are available for emergency assistance
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at embassies, consulates, and
consular agencies overseas and in Washington, D.C. To contact
the Office of Overseas Citizens Services in the U.S. call
1-888-407-4747 (during business hours) or 202-647-5225 (after
hours). Contact information for U.S. embassies, consulates,
and consular agencies overseas is on this Internet site.
If You Are the Victim of a Crime Overseas
Contact the nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or consular agency
for assistance.
Contact local police to report the incident and obtain immediate
help with safety concerns. Request a copy of the police
report.
Consular Assistance to American Crime
Victims
Consular personnel can provide assistance to crime
victims. When a U.S. citizen becomes the victim of a crime
overseas, he or she may suffer physical, emotional, or financial
injuries. Additionally, the emotional impact of the crime may
be intensified because the victim is in unfamiliar
surroundings. The victim may not be near sources of comfort
and support, fluent in the local language, or knowledgeable about
local laws and customs.
Consuls, consular agents, and local employees at overseas posts
are familiar with local government agencies and resources in the
country where they work. They can help American crime victims
with issues such as:
Replacing a stolen passport;
Contacting family, friends, or employers;
Obtaining appropriate medical care;
Addressing emergency needs that arise as a result of the
crime;
Obtaining general information about the local criminal justice
process and information about your case;
Obtaining information about local resources to assist victims,
including foreign crime victim compensation programs;
Obtaining information about crime victim assistance and
compensation programs in the U.S.; and
Obtaining a list of local attorneys who speak English.
Consular officials cannot, however, investigate crimes, provide
legal advice or represent you in court, serve as official
interpreters or translators, or pay legal, medical, or other fees
for you.
Individual Reactions to Crime Victimization
How individuals react to being the victim of a crime will vary
from person to person. Reactions are affected by individual
factors such as how the victim handles stress, the nature and
duration of the crime, the physical safety of the victim, and the
number and type of support systems available. Reactions to a
crime may be immediate or delayed. The physical, emotional,
or cognitive (involving thinking ability) symptoms a victim may
experience could include nausea, headaches, fatigue,
hyperventilation, or sleeping problems. Some victims report
feelings of anxiety or fear, hyper-vigilance, guilt, anger, or
isolation. Some experience difficulty making decisions,
short-term memory problems, difficulty concentrating, or recurring
memories of the crime.
It is important to realize that these are normal feelings,
behaviors and reactions to an abnormal event. One of the
first things to pay attention to is your need to feel safer.
Addressing safety concerns and receiving emotional support can
help. For most victims the reactions described above diminish
with time. If these reactions persist and are disrupting your
life or getting worse after three or four weeks, you should
consider seeking professional assistance.
Resources and Information for Crime
Victims:
Victim Assistance : If you are the victim of a crime
while overseas you may benefit from specialized resources for crime
victims available in the U.S. Throughout the United States
thousands of local crime victim assistance programs offer help to
victims of violent crime and most will help residents of their
community who have been the victim of a crime in another
country. These include rape crisis counseling programs,
shelter and counseling programs for battered women, support groups
and bereavement counseling for family members of homicide victims,
diagnostic and treatment programs for child abuse victims,
assistance for victims of drunk driving crashes, and others.
Information about locating crime victim assistance programs is
below.
Victim Compensation : All states operate crime victim
compensation programs and nearly half of them offer benefits to
their residents who are victims of violent crime overseas.
(See contact information for state compensation programs
below.) These state compensation programs provide financial
assistance to eligible victims for reimbursement of expenses such
as medical treatment, counseling, funeral costs, lost income or
loss of support, and others. Generally victim compensation
programs require the victim to report the crime to law enforcement
and they usually request a copy of the police report.
Contact Information for Victim Compensation and
Assistance Programs:
Information about each state’s crime victim compensation program
and how to apply for compensation is available on the Internet at
the web site of the National Association of Crime Victim
Compensation Boards, http://www.nacvcb.org
The toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week hotline for sexual
assault crisis counseling and referrals in the United States is
1-800-656-HOPE. It is operated by a non-profit organization,
RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), which also has
information on the Internet at http://www.rainn.org
Information about local sexual assault victim assistance
programs in the U.S. is also available from each state’s sexual
assault coalition. Contact information for these state
coalitions are listed at the website of the U.S. Department of
Justice Violence Against Women Office, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/help.htm
The toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week National Domestic
Violence Hotline, which provides crisis counseling and referrals in
the U.S., is 1-800-799-SAFE.
Information about local domestic violence victim assistance
programs in the U.S. is also available from each state’s domestic
violence coalition. Contact information for these state
coalitions is listed at the website of the U.S. Department of
Justice Violence Against Women Office, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/help.htm
The toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week crisis counseling
and referral line for families and friends of those who have died
by violence is 1-888-818-POMC. It is operated by a non-profit
organization, POMC, Inc., (The National Organization of Parents of
Murdered Children) which also has information on the Internet at
http://www.pomc.org
Information about national and local resources for victims and
family members of victims of drunk driving crashes is available at
the web site of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, http://www.madd.org
Contact information for non-emergency victim assistance services
in communities throughout the U.S. is available at the web site of
the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, http://ovc.ncjrs.org/findvictimservices/
Information for crime victims on the impact of crime, safety
planning, legal rights and civil legal remedies, and options for
assistance and referrals to local programs is also available from
the National Crime Victim Center. Call toll free (8:30 a.m.
to 8:30 p.m. EST) 1-800-FYI-CALL or call TTY for hearing impaired
(8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST) 1-800-211-7996. Information is
also available on the Internet at http://www.ncvc.org
Information and referral to victim assistance programs is
available from the National Organization for Victim Assistance
(NOVA). Call toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week
1-800-TRY-NOVA. Information is also available on the Internet
at http://www.try-nova.org
Information about victim assistance programs in approximately 20
countries is available at the web site of Victim Assistance
On-line, http://www.vaonline.org
As concerned relatives call in, Consular officers use the
information provided by the family or friends of a missing person
to locate the individual. We check with local authorities in
the foreign country to see if there is any report of a U.S. citizen
hospitalized, arrested, or is otherwise unable to communicate with
those looking for them. Depending on the circumstances, consular
officers may personally search hotels, airports, hospitals, or even
prisons.
Privacy Act - The provisions of the Privacy Act
are designed to protect the privacy and rights of Americans, but
occasionally they complicate our efforts to assist citizens abroad.
As a rule, consular officers may not reveal information regarding
an individual Americans location, welfare, intentions, or problems
to anyone, including family members and Congressional
representatives, without the expressed consent of that individual.
Although sympathetic to the distress this can cause concerned
families, consular officers must comply with the provisions of the
Privacy Act.
Contact the Office of Children’s Issues immediately
if:
How we can help:
The Bureau of Consular Affairs, Overseas Citizens Services is
committed to assisting American citizens who become victims of
crime while traveling, working, or residing abroad.
Government officials, known as consuls or consular officers, at
embassies and consulates in nearly 250 cities throughout the world
are responsible for assisting U.S. citizens who may be traveling,
working, or residing abroad. In addition, in approximately 50
cities where a significant number of Americans reside or visit and
there is no U.S. embassy or consulate, consular agents provide
emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. Consuls, consular
agents, and local employees work with their counterparts in the
Bureau of Consular Affairs Overseas Citizens Services Office in
Washington, D.C. to provide emergency and non-emergency services to
Americans abroad.
How to Contact Us
Consular duty personnel are available for emergency assistance
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at embassies, consulates, and
consular agencies overseas and in Washington, D.C. To contact
the Office of Overseas Citizens Services in the U.S. call
1-888-407-4747 (during business hours) or 202-647-5225 (after
hours). Contact information for U.S. embassies, consulates,
and consular agencies overseas is on this Internet site.
If You Are the Victim of a Crime Overseas
Contact the nearest U.S. embassy, consulate, or consular agency
for assistance.
Contact local police to report the incident and obtain immediate
help with safety concerns. Request a copy of the police
report.
Consular Assistance to American Crime
Victims
Consular personnel can provide assistance to crime
victims. When a U.S. citizen becomes the victim of a crime
overseas, he or she may suffer physical, emotional, or financial
injuries. Additionally, the emotional impact of the crime may
be intensified because the victim is in unfamiliar
surroundings. The victim may not be near sources of comfort
and support, fluent in the local language, or knowledgeable about
local laws and customs.
Consuls, consular agents, and local employees at overseas posts
are familiar with local government agencies and resources in the
country where they work. They can help American crime victims
with issues such as:
Replacing a stolen passport;
Contacting family, friends, or employers;
Obtaining appropriate medical care;
Addressing emergency needs that arise as a result of the
crime;
Obtaining general information about the local criminal justice
process and information about your case;
Obtaining information about local resources to assist victims,
including foreign crime victim compensation programs;
Obtaining information about crime victim assistance and
compensation programs in the U.S.; and
Obtaining a list of local attorneys who speak English.
Consular officials cannot, however, investigate crimes, provide
legal advice or represent you in court, serve as official
interpreters or translators, or pay legal, medical, or other fees
for you.
Individual Reactions to Crime Victimization
How individuals react to being the victim of a crime will vary
from person to person. Reactions are affected by individual
factors such as how the victim handles stress, the nature and
duration of the crime, the physical safety of the victim, and the
number and type of support systems available. Reactions to a
crime may be immediate or delayed. The physical, emotional,
or cognitive (involving thinking ability) symptoms a victim may
experience could include nausea, headaches, fatigue,
hyperventilation, or sleeping problems. Some victims report
feelings of anxiety or fear, hyper-vigilance, guilt, anger, or
isolation. Some experience difficulty making decisions,
short-term memory problems, difficulty concentrating, or recurring
memories of the crime.
It is important to realize that these are normal feelings,
behaviors and reactions to an abnormal event. One of the
first things to pay attention to is your need to feel safer.
Addressing safety concerns and receiving emotional support can
help. For most victims the reactions described above diminish
with time. If these reactions persist and are disrupting your
life or getting worse after three or four weeks, you should
consider seeking professional assistance.
Resources and Information for Crime
Victims:
Victim Assistance : If you are the victim of a crime
while overseas you may benefit from specialized resources for crime
victims available in the U.S. Throughout the United States
thousands of local crime victim assistance programs offer help to
victims of violent crime and most will help residents of their
community who have been the victim of a crime in another
country. These include rape crisis counseling programs,
shelter and counseling programs for battered women, support groups
and bereavement counseling for family members of homicide victims,
diagnostic and treatment programs for child abuse victims,
assistance for victims of drunk driving crashes, and others.
Information about locating crime victim assistance programs is
below.
Victim Compensation : All states operate crime victim
compensation programs and nearly half of them offer benefits to
their residents who are victims of violent crime overseas.
(See contact information for state compensation programs
below.) These state compensation programs provide financial
assistance to eligible victims for reimbursement of expenses such
as medical treatment, counseling, funeral costs, lost income or
loss of support, and others. Generally victim compensation
programs require the victim to report the crime to law enforcement
and they usually request a copy of the police report.
Contact Information for Victim Compensation and
Assistance Programs:
Information about each state’s crime victim compensation program
and how to apply for compensation is available on the Internet at
the web site of the National Association of Crime Victim
Compensation Boards, http://www.nacvcb.org
The toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week hotline for sexual
assault crisis counseling and referrals in the United States is
1-800-656-HOPE. It is operated by a non-profit organization,
RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), which also has
information on the Internet at http://www.rainn.org
Information about local sexual assault victim assistance
programs in the U.S. is also available from each state’s sexual
assault coalition. Contact information for these state
coalitions are listed at the website of the U.S. Department of
Justice Violence Against Women Office, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/help.htm
The toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week National Domestic
Violence Hotline, which provides crisis counseling and referrals in
the U.S., is 1-800-799-SAFE.
Information about local domestic violence victim assistance
programs in the U.S. is also available from each state’s domestic
violence coalition. Contact information for these state
coalitions is listed at the website of the U.S. Department of
Justice Violence Against Women Office, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/help.htm
The toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week crisis counseling
and referral line for families and friends of those who have died
by violence is 1-888-818-POMC. It is operated by a non-profit
organization, POMC, Inc., (The National Organization of Parents of
Murdered Children) which also has information on the Internet at
http://www.pomc.org
Information about national and local resources for victims and
family members of victims of drunk driving crashes is available at
the web site of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, http://www.madd.org
Contact information for non-emergency victim assistance services
in communities throughout the U.S. is available at the web site of
the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, http://ovc.ncjrs.org/findvictimservices/
Information for crime victims on the impact of crime, safety
planning, legal rights and civil legal remedies, and options for
assistance and referrals to local programs is also available from
the National Crime Victim Center. Call toll free (8:30 a.m.
to 8:30 p.m. EST) 1-800-FYI-CALL or call TTY for hearing impaired
(8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST) 1-800-211-7996. Information is
also available on the Internet at http://www.ncvc.org
Information and referral to victim assistance programs is
available from the National Organization for Victim Assistance
(NOVA). Call toll-free 24 hours a day /7 days a week
1-800-TRY-NOVA. Information is also available on the Internet
at http://www.try-nova.org
Information about victim assistance programs in approximately 20
countries is available at the web site of Victim Assistance
On-line, http://www.vaonline.org
Lost / Stolen U.S. Passports Abroad
Financial Assistance for U.S. Citizens
Abroad
Arrest/Incarceration of U.S. Citizens
Abroad
Locating U.S. Citizens Abroad in the Event of an
Emergency
Medical Emergencies Involving U.S. Citizens
Abroad
Death of U.S. Citizens Abroad/Estate
Matters
http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1212.html
General Emergency Information for U.S.
Citizens
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1205.html