Citizen Services
Report of Deaths Abroad
When an American dies abroad, a consular officer notifies the American's next of kin and works with family members to resolve legal and practical problems arising from the death. Consular officers can assist family members in returning the deceased's remains to the United States, but costs may be high and must be paid by the family. The Consular section prepares and issues a Report of Death of American Citizen Abroad in such cases.
Consular officers also can act to protect the property and personal estate of a deceased American, until such property can be turned over to the next of kin.
The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb stands ready to assist in the event of the death of an American citizen in Croatia. Our assistance includes notifying the next-of-kin of the deceased (if not traveling with him/her), helping with arrangements for the disposition of the remains, obtaining the Croatian death certificate from local authorities, and producing an official record of the death, which can be used in the United States.
Official record of the death: The Consular section will provide a Consular Report of the Death of an American Citizen Abroad. This form is often required for estate and insurance purposes. One of the first steps in obtaining a Consular Report of the Death of an American Citizen Abroad is to obtain a Croatian death certificate.
Obtaining a Croatian death certificate (Izvadak iz matice umrlih): If death occurs in a hospital, the hospital automatically forwards the doctor's report on cause of death (Liječničko uvjerenje o uzroku smrti) to the Croatian Registry of Vital Statistics (Maticni Ured). If death does not occur in a hospital, a coroner's certificate (Dozvola za pogreb umrle osobe) is delivered to the Maticni Ured in the district in which the death occurred if such assistance is desired. The Consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb can contact a local funeral home or undertaker, obtain the Croatian death certificate, and process the necessary paperwork on behalf of the next of kin if such assistance is desired.
If cause of death cannot be readily determined or appears to be accidental, the coroner has the authority to order an autopsy. Under Croatian law, an autopsy may be performed without the consent of the next-of-kin of the deceased. Autopsies may take up to four working days. Depending on the results of the autopsy, the case may then be forwarded to legal authorities who might decide to investigate further before a coroner's certificate is issued.
Disposition of remains: The next-of-kin has three options: local internment, cremation, or shipment of the remains to the United States; shipment of cremated remains to the United States.
Approximate costs are:
- Local internment -- $1,000 to $3,000 (for all services, but not including burial plot)
- Local cremation -- $800 to $1,100
- Shipment of remains -- $3,500 to $6,500 (not including embalming)
- Embalming -- $4,100 (cash paid to hospital)
- Shipment of cremated remains -- $1,000 to $1,500
Responsibility for decisions regarding disposition of remains and the costs rests with the next-of-kin or legal representative of the deceased. The embassy is not able to provide any financial assistance but can facilitate with the transfer of funds from the United States.
Most Croatian undertakers or funeral homes require payment in advance. Money can be transferred from the U.S. using private companies, such as Western Union, or via the Department of State's OCS/TRUST system. Information on money transfers is available on: http://travel.state.gov/travel/finance_assist.html or from the Consular section.
Transportation of remains to the U.S: If next-of-kin or legal representative of the deceased decides to transport the remains for burial in the U.S., a Croatian funeral home or undertaker must prepare the remains as required for air transportation. Please note, however, that preparation of the remains for air transport does not necessarily mean that the remains will be suitable for viewing upon arrival in the United States. Again, the Consular section cannot pay for these services but can assist the next-of-kin in coordinating transportation of remains.
After preparing the remains, the funeral home or undertaker presents the required documentation, including the Croatian death certificate, transit permit for the remains (Sprovodnica za prijenos umrle osobe), and the police permit (Suglasnost za pijenos posmrtnih ostataka) to the Consular Section, which then prepares the Consular Mortuary Certificate and the Report of Death of an American Citizen Abroad. These documents, plus the cancelled passport of the deceased, are returned to the funeral home representative who then delivers the remains and paperwork to the airport for transportation to the United States.
Consular officers cannot act as lawyers, tax advisors, investigators, banks, law enforcement officers, or travel agents. Please do not expect them to find you employment, get you residence or driving permits, act as interpreters, search for missing luggage, or help you settle disputes with hotel managers. They can, however, tell you how to get help with these and other matters.