22 U.S.C. § 2715b: Notification of next of…

Summary

When a U.S. citizen or national dies abroad, a consular officer must try to tell the person’s next of kin or legal guardian as soon as possible. If the deceased is a Peace Corps volunteer, a member of the Armed Forces, a dependent of either, or a Department of Defense employee, the consular officer must help the Peace Corps or the military authorities with the notification. A consular officer may issue an official report saying a person has died or is presumed dead — either when local authorities have found the death or, if they have not, as a presumptive death. The Secretary of State must make rules to carry out these duties.

Title 22, §2715b

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

Whenever 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 death

The 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 regulations

The Secretary of State shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. 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 Abroad Pub. 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.”

§2715b Notification of Next of Kin; Reports of Death

Summary

Title 22, §2715b

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata