United States Citizens Abroad Vital Records

Learn how to find birth, marriage or death documentation records for United States citizens when the vital records event occurred in a foreign country, or on the high seas.

Vital birth, marriage, and death records of United States citizens abroad may have been recorded by:


 * the civil registration office in the nation where the event occurred
 * the United States embassy or consulate in that nation
 * or by both.

To learn about researching civil registration (that is vital records) of an international country, see the Wiki civil registration (or vital records) page for that nation. For example:


 * England Civil Registration
 * Italy Civil Registration
 * Canada Vital Records

To find vital records of United States citizens abroad whose birth, marriage, or death was registered at a U.S. embassy, consulate, in the U.S. armed forces, U.S. Coast Guard, or for suggestions about documenting vital events that occurred on the high seas, see below.

Civilians
To obtain copies. Researchers may be able to document the vital birth, marriage, or death event of a United States civilian citizen in an international country if that event was registered at the local U.S. embassy, or consulate. Request U.S. embassy or consulate vital records at:


 * Department of State
 * Passport Vital Records Section
 * 1150 Passport Services PL
 * 6th Floor
 * Dulles, VA 20189-1150 USA
 * Telephone: (202) 485-8300


 * Births see Replace or Amend a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
 * Marriages see Request a Copy of a Certificate of Witness to Marriage Abroad (filed prior to November 9, 1989)
 * Deaths see Request a Copy of a Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRDA).

For further details see U.S. Passports and International Travel at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs  Internet site.

Armed Forces
To obtain a copy of a birth, marriage, or death of a United States citizen serving in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force) who was abroad at the time of the event, write to:


 * Secretary of Defense
 * Washington, DC 20301 USA

Coast Guard
To obtain a copy of a birth, marriage, or death of a United States citizen serving in the United States Coast Guard who was abroad at the time of the event, write to:


 * Commandant
 * P.S.
 * U.S. Coast Guard
 * Washington, DC 20226 USA

On the High Seas
Births, marriages, or deaths at sea are usually recorded on the ship's log.

If the birth or death occurred on the high seas while the vessel or aircraft was outbound  from the United States, or at an international port, see Civilians above.

If the vessel was inbound  and docked first in the United States after the event occurred, write to the Bureau of Vital Records for the state (port) where the vessel first arrived. See Vital Records of Each State.