Death Abroad, Missing Persons, and Disaster
What if the death involved a foreign government or occurred in a conflict zone?
Short answer
Contact the U.S. State Department's Office of American Citizens Services immediately — 1-888-407-4747 from the U.S., or +1-202-501-4444 from abroad. They coordinate with foreign governments in sensitive cases. If the death involved hostile action or a foreign government, a congressional representative's office…
What this usually means
Contact the U.S. State Department's Office of American Citizens Services immediately — 1-888-407-4747 from the U.S., or +1-202-501-4444 from abroad. They coordinate with foreign governments in sensitive cases. If the death involved hostile action or a foreign government, a congressional representative's office can sometimes help apply pressure for information.
What to do next
- Start the PathAfter checklist for situation-aware first steps.
- Find California county help for coroner contacts, vital records, cost tools, and paperwork.
- Open the First 72 Hours Call Log before making calls.
- Open the Documents to Find Checklist when you are ready for paperwork.