How to Retrieve Information about Births & Deaths from Outside the United States
- 1). Write a letter requesting the birth record of an American citizen born abroad, the Consular Report of Birth (Form FS-240). This document must be notarized and include the following information: full name of the child at birth, parents' names, place and date of birth, available passport information, and the signature of the requester. Include a copy of valid photo identification of the person requesting the information.
- 2). Include a check or money order made payable to the "Department of State" for the amount of the required fee. Find current fee amounts on the "Documentation of U.S. Citizens Born Abroad" page of the Department of State's website.
- 3). Mail this document along with your check to:
Vital Records Section
Passport Services
1111 19th Street NW, Suite 510
Washington, D.C. 20522-1705 - 4). Wait for the State Department to send a response to your request.
- 5). Obtain the death records of American citizens who died overseas after 1974 from the U.S. Department of State by sending a written request to the following address:
Department of State
Passport Services
Vital Records Section
Room 510
1111 19th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20524-1705 - 6). Wait for the State Department to respond to your request.
- 7). Complete and return any applicable forms or documents, including any required fees outlined by these forms, which were sent with this response from the State Department.
- 8). Obtain the death records for Americans who died abroad before 1975 by writing the National Archives at the following address:
Civilian Records
Room 2600
National Archives at College Park
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740-6001 - 9). Receive an order form from the National Archives in response to your request.
- 10
Return the completed order form with any applicable copying fees to the same address.