US Embassy France Death Notification

When an American citizen dies in France, the US Embassy in Paris becomes the bridge between French civil procedures and the American legal system. But the embassy's role is narrower than most families expect, and understanding exactly what it can and cannot do prevents wasted days chasing help that isn't coming.

How to Report the Death

Contact the Special Consular Services (SCS) Unit at the US Embassy in Paris. The same phone number reaches all three diplomatic posts in France:

• Within France: 01.43.12.22.22
• From the US: +33.1.43.12.22.22
• Email: citizeninfo@state.gov

The line operates 24/7 for emergencies. You can also reach the Consulate General in Marseille (southern France) or Strasbourg (eastern France) through the same number.

Have the deceased's full name, date of birth, passport number, and the contact details of the next of kin ready when you call.

What the Embassy Actually Does

The SCS Unit's primary function is issuing the electronic Consular Report of Death Abroad (e-CRODA, Form DS-2060). This digitally signed document is the primary proof of death for US probate; insurers, banks, and benefit administrators may also request it for related claims.

To compile the CRODA dossier, you'll need to provide the embassy with the French acte de décès (official death certificate from the mairie), any available medical certificates, and the deceased's US passport. Documents can be scanned and sent to citizeninfo@state.gov, but the physical passport must be mailed to the SCS Unit in Paris.

The embassy also maintains a list of English-speaking funeral directors and can help coordinate next-of-kin notification if other family members haven't been reached.

What the Embassy Cannot Do

This is where expectations need managing. The US government will not:

• Pay for funeral, cremation, or burial costs
• Cover the cost of shipping remains back to the United States
• Provide legal advice on French inheritance law or US probate procedure
• Recommend specific funeral homes, attorneys, or translators (they provide lists, not endorsements)
• Intervene in French judicial proceedings, including autopsies ordered by the procureur de la République
• Access or release confidential French medical records

If the death is under judicial investigation (suspicious circumstances, accident, or unclear cause), the procureur controls access to the body and all investigative reports. The embassy has no legal authority to expedite the release. Families in this situation need a French avocat (attorney) to petition the court directly.

The CRODA Filing Process

The e-CRODA replaced the older paper-based version. The process works like this:

1. The family provides the required documents to the SCS Unit (scans to email, physical passport by mail)
2. A consular officer reviews the documentation against the French civil registry records
3. The e-CRODA is generated as a digitally signed PDF
4. Multiple copies are delivered to the family via secure email

The e-CRODA is issued in English and serves as official proof of death for US probate. You do not need to translate or apostille the CRODA itself — it's a US government document.

Processing typically takes several days after the embassy receives all required documents. Delays occur when the French acte de décès hasn't been issued yet (the mairie must register the death first) or when the physical passport is in transit.

Timing the CRODA Against Other Deadlines

The CRODA doesn't need to be the first thing you chase. The French acte de décès from the mairie is the document that unlocks most immediate actions in France: funeral arrangements, the transit permit for repatriation, and notifying French banks. The CRODA matters most for US-side proceedings — opening probate, filing life insurance claims, and notifying the Social Security Administration.

That said, don't delay submitting documents to the embassy. French inheritance tax filing deadlines (six months when the death occurs on French soil) and SSA retroactivity windows both run from the date of death, not from when you get the CRODA in hand.

The American Dies in France — Family Emergency Guide includes the complete CRODA filing checklist alongside every other document you'll need across both countries, organized by the phase when each one matters.