US Embassy India Death Notification — How to Report a Death of an American Citizen

Which Consular Office Handles the Death

India is large enough that the US maintains five separate consular districts, each with its own American Citizens Services (ACS) unit. The office you contact is determined strictly by the Indian state where the death occurred — not where the deceased lived or where the family is located.

US Embassy New Delhi covers Delhi, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Emergency line: +91-11-2419-8000. Email: acsnd@state.gov.

Consulate General Mumbai covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Phone: +91-22-2672-4000. Email: mumbairesources@state.gov.

Consulate General Chennai covers Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry. Phone: +91-44-2857-4000. Email: chennaiacs@state.gov.

Consulate General Hyderabad covers Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha. Phone: +91-40-6932-8000. Email: HydACS@state.gov.

Consulate General Kolkata covers West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Sikkim, and all northeastern states. Phone: +91-33-6827-2400 (dial 0). Email: KolkataACS@state.gov.

If you're calling from the US after hours, the operator connects to the duty officer through the main switchboard.

What the ACS Unit Does (and Doesn't Do)

Once notified, the ACS consular officer will liaise with local police, municipal registrars, and medical examiners on the family's behalf. They facilitate — not execute — the administrative process.

What ACS handles:

• Confirming the death and notifying next of kin in the US
• Providing lists of approved local undertakers and attorneys
• Coordinating with Indian police if the death is under investigation
• Cancelling the deceased's US passport (required before the CRODA can be issued)
• Issuing the electronic Consular Report of Death Abroad (eCRODA, Form DS-2060)

What ACS cannot do:

• Pay for any local arrangement, transport, or funeral costs
• Act as a legal representative or estate executor
• Override local Indian law or police investigations
• Expedite municipal death certificate processing

Documents to Have Ready When You Call

The consular officer will ask for several pieces of information during the initial notification. Having these ready accelerates the process:

• Full legal name and date of birth of the deceased
• US passport number (if known)
• Exact location and circumstances of the death
• Name and contact information of whoever is with the remains in India
• Details of any travel or repatriation insurance
• Next of kin information for the official notification

If the death occurred in a hospital, the Medical Cause of Death Certificate should already be issued. If it occurred outside a medical facility, the consular officer will advise on whether a police report is required before the municipal death registration can proceed.

After the Initial Notification

The ACS unit opens a consular case file and assigns a case number. This number tracks every document and communication through the entire process — from the initial report through CRODA issuance and beyond. Keep it accessible.

The next step is retaining a licensed international undertaker from the embassy's approved list. Only funeral directors with "Known Shipper" status can book international air cargo for human remains, and the 48-to-72-hour remains deadline under Indian public health rules means this step cannot wait for family to arrive from the US.

The American Dies in India Family Emergency Guide includes the full consular contact directory, document checklists, and the exact sequence for working with ACS across all five districts.