22 CFR § 72.2 - Consular responsibility.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t22/s72.2"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "22 CFR § 72.2 - Consular responsibility."
title_number: 22
title_name: "Foreign Relations"
section_number: "72.2"
section_name: "Consular responsibility."
chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF STATE"
subchapter_number: "H"
subchapter_name: "PROTECTION AND WELFARE OF AMERICANS, THEIR PROPERTY AND ESTATES"
part_number: "72"
part_name: "DEATHS AND ESTATES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "22 U.S.C. 2715, 2715b, 2715c, 4196, 4197, 4198, 4199."
regulatory_source: "72 FR 8889, Feb. 28, 2007, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "72"
---


# 72.2 Consular responsibility.

When a consular officer learns that a United States citizen or non-citizen national has died in the officer's consular district, the officer must—

(a) Report the death to the Department; and

(b) The officer must also try to notify, or assist the Secretary of State in notifying, the next of kin (or legal guardian) and the legal representative, if different from the next of kin, as soon as possible. See § 72.3 for exceptions to this paragraph.