[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 22, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 22CFR72.1]

[Page 347-348]
 
                       TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS
 
                     CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF STATE
 
PART 72_DEATHS AND ESTATES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 72.1  Consular responsibility.




               Reporting Deaths of United States Citizens

Sec.
72.1 Consular responsibility.
72.2 Exceptions to consular responsibility.
72.3 Telegraphic notifications of death.
72.4 Normal reporting procedure.
72.5 Reports of presumptive deaths.
72.6 Reports of deaths on the high seas.
72.7 Reports on deceased persons believed to be United States citizens.
72.8 Disposition of nationality documents.

                         Disposition of Remains

72.9 Consular responsibility.
72.10 Local burial.
72.11 Cremation.
72.12 Shipment of remains to the United States.
72.13 Remains requiring special handling.
72.14 Fees for disposing remains.

                  Personal Estates of Deceased Citizens

72.15 Statutory responsibility of consular officer.
72.16 Regulatory responsibility of consular officer.
72.17 Responsibility of consular agents.
72.18 Responsibility if legal representative is present.
72.19 Responsibility if trustee for personal estate is present.
72.20 Responsibility if ``partner in trade'' is present.
72.21 Responsibility if will intended to operate locally exists.
72.22 Responsibility if will intended to operate in the United States 
          exists.
72.23 Responsibility in case of Department of Defense personnel.
72.24 Responsibility in case of Coast Guard personnel.
72.25 Responsibility in case of citizens dying on the high seas.
72.26 Responsibility in case of seamen.
72.27 Responsibility in case of Foreign Service personnel.
72.28 Effects to be taken into possession.
72.29 Nominal possessions; property not normally taken into possession.
72.30 Bank deposits in foreign countries.
72.31 Action when immediate possession is impracticable.
72.32 Action when property is in other consular districts.
72.33 Official notification to legal representative.
72.34 [Reserved]
72.35 Procedure for inventorying and appraising effects.
72.36 Preparation and disposition of inventory.
72.37 Disposal of perishable property.
72.38 Collection of debts due deceased.
72.39 Payment of debts owed by deceased.
72.40 Consular officer not to act as administrator of estate.
72.41 Consular officer not to perform legal services or to employ 
          counsel.
72.42 Consular officer not to assume financial responsibility.
72.43 Conditions under which estate can be released by consular officer.
72.44 Evidence of claimant's right to estate.
72.45 Shipment of personnel estate to the United States.
72.46 Consular action on disagreements between claimants.
72.47 Consular action on unproved claim to estate.
72.48 Consular action on unclaimed estates.
72.49 Disposition of estate upon departure of responsible officer.
72.50 Final statement of account.
72.51 Preparation and disposition of final statement of account.
72.52 Fee services.
72.53 No-fee services.
72.54 Estates of Government personnel exempt from fee assessments.
72.55 Estates of citizens dying on the high seas exempt from fee 
          assessments.

    Authority: R.S. 1709, as amended, sec. 302, 60 Stat. 1001; 22 U.S.C. 
1175, 842.

    Source: 22 FR 10841, Dec. 27, 1957, unless otherwise noted.

               Reporting Deaths of United States Citizens


    (a) A consular officer (or in his absence a diplomatic officer) is 
responsible for reporting to the Department, to the legal 
representative, and to the closest known relative the deaths of all 
United States citizens occurring in his consular district except as 
otherwise provided in Sec. 72.2. In order that he may be informed of 
such deaths, the consular officer should enlist the cooperation and 
assistance of the local authorities and the members of the American 
community.
    (b) A consular agent is not authorized to report the deaths of 
United States citizens to the Department, to the legal representative 
and to the closest known relative. The consular agent should, however, 
immediately report the circumstances of the death to

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his principal consular officer, who then has the responsibility for 
reporting in the manner prescribed in this section through Sec. 72.8.