7 FAM 200 APPENDIX F
DEATHS OF FOREIGN NATIONALS IN THE UNITED STATES
(CT:CON-804; 04-30-2018)
(Office of Origin: CA/OCS)
7 FAM 210 Appendix F INTRODUCTION
(CT:CON-171; 05-30-2007)
a. All levels of law enforcement must ensure that foreign governments can extend appropriate consular services to their nationals in the United States and that the United States complies with its legal obligations to such governments. It is essential that U.S. citizens be offered the same consular services when they are detained abroad. To require that of other countries, we must be certain we provide this courtesy here in the United States.
b. One significant aspect of this cooperation concerns notification of foreign embassies and consulates of the deaths of their nationals in the United States.
c. Death notification is usually provided to foreign embassies and consulates directly by U.S. medical examiners, law enforcement officials, coroners or other local authorities to the foreign embassy or consulate in the United States.
d. When it is necessary for the Department of State to communicate with foreign embassies or consulates regarding the deaths of foreign nationals in the United States, this is done by the desk officer in the regional geographic bureau or after hours, by the regional bureau duty officer.
e. If the deceased foreign national has privileges and immunities, the identification cards issued by Protocol list a Protocol phone number for business hours and a Diplomatic Security (DS) Command center number for all after hours calls. DS and Protocol will coordinate with the Operations Center and the Regional Bureau duty officers as appropriate.
7 FAM 220 Appendix F AUTHORITIES
(CT:CON-171; 05-30-2007)
a. Article 37 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR) requires notification by host country officials in the event of the death of a foreign national. (See Treaties in Force.)
b. Many bilateral consular conventions include similar provisions. See the bilateral consular conventions feature on the Consular Affairs Internet page and the treaties feature on the Consular Affairs Intranet page, and Treaties in Force.
7 FAM 230 Appendix F DEPARTMENT OF STATE OUTREACH TO U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES REGARDING CONSULAR NOTIFICATION
(CT:CON-171; 05-30-2007)
a. The Bureau of Consular Affairs Office of Public Affairs and Policy Coordination (CA/P) has an outreach program for U.S. law enforcement authorities regarding the consular notification and access requirements of the VCCR and bilateral consular conventions. This includes extensive written information.
b. Information about consular notification and outreach is also available on the Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web page.
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Other CA Materials: Consular Notification and Access Program Summary Suggested Fax Sheet for Notifying Foreign Consular Officers of Deaths or Serious Injuries |
c. Questions: Address questions about the program to:
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Office of Public Affairs and Policy Coordination for
Consular Affairs For urgent telephone inquiries after normal business hours, you may call the State Department Operations Center at 202-647-1512. |
7 FAM 240 APPENDIX F DEPARTMENT OF STATE COORDINATION WITH FOREIGN MISSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES ABOUT NOTIFICATION REGARDING DEATHS OF FOREIGN NATIONALS IN THE UNITED STATES
(CT:CON-171; 05-30-2007)
a. Notification of a foreign embassy or consulate in the United States of the death of a foreign national in the United States is generally done directly by local medical examiners, coroners, law enforcement officials or other authorities.
b. When the Department of State becomes aware of the death of a foreign national in the United States, the desk officers in the regional bureaus generally serve as the primary point of contact for foreign diplomatic and consular officers. After hours, this service is provided by the duty officers for the regional geographic bureaus.
c. Inquiries from foreign governments about how to obtain an official notification of the foreign national’s death from the appropriate U.S. authorities or problems obtaining copies of death certificates should be directed to CA/P.
7 FAM 250 Appendix F LARGE SCALE DISASTERS OR CRITICAL INCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES
(CT:CON-171; 05-30-2007)
a. In the event of a large scale disaster or incident, such as an earthquake, hurricane, aviation or other transportation disaster, or terrorist incident in the United States, the Department may convene a task force to coordinate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and other pertinent federal, state and local agencies.
b. Posts will be advised if such a task force is convened and how to convey information to the host government regarding foreign national victims in the United States.
c. 7 FAM 1839 provides guidance about the role of the Department of State regarding domestic aviation disasters.
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CA Intranet Library: You will find historical materials on the CA Intranet Crisis Management Cable Library. This includes, for example, instructions regarding identifying foreign victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and expedited death certificate procedures for missing World Trade Center victims whose next of kin were overseas. |