United States Citizens Abroad Vital Records

United States Vital Records  Citizens Abroad

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 be recorded by:


 * the civil registration in the nation where the event occurred
 * the United States embassy or consul 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

For United States embassy, consular, armed forces, Coast Guard, or high seas vital records see below.

Civilians
To obtain copies. Researchers may be able to document the vital event of a United States civilian citizen in a foreign country by making a request at:


 * Department of State
 * Passport Vital Records Section
 * 1150 Passport Services PL
 * 6th Floor
 * Dulles, VA 20189-1150 USA
 * Tel. (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).

Armed Forces
If a person was a member of the Armed Forces, write to the Secretary of Defense; Washington, DC 20301.

Coast Guard
If the person was a member of the Coast Guard, contact the Commandant, P.S., U.S. Coast Guard, Washington, DC 20226.

On the High Seas
If the Birth or death occurred on the high seas while the vessel or aircraft was outbound from the U.S. or at a foreign port, write to the U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 205520.

If the vessel was inbound and first docked in the U.S. after the event occurred, write to the Bureau of Vital Records for the State where it arrived.