Costalegre Jalisco Mexico

US Embassy Vice Consul tells how State Department responds to deaths of US citizens who are in Mexico

By Carol Schmidt

Dan Callahan, Vice Consul of the US State Department Embassy in Mexico City, spoke to an overflow audience of expats at the Biblioteca Sala Sept. 10 on how the State Department responds to the deaths of US citizens who are in Mexico.

An average of 28 US citizens die while they are in Mexico each month, he said, and the State Department's work is much easier if expats plan for emergencies by having a will and registering with the Consulate so that their wishes can be followed upon their deaths.

Callahan and Ed Clancy, Consular Agent for San Miguel de Allende, also answered a variety of questions from the audience on such issues as State Department travel warnings, Social Security, health care, and SMA trash pickup.

During the meeting two representatives of the DF embassy answered private questions: Lourdes Garcia, Consular Specialist, Death and Estates Unit; and Hilda de Hoyos, Operations Supervisor, Federal Benefits Unit.

Expats were told that it is possible to apply for new Social Security benefits by phone, and the process can be initiated by contacting Clancy first. Starting the application process four months ahead of the date on which Social Security benefits are to start is sufficient advance time. The date of your first phone call is your protected filing date that determines when you have applied for Social Security, even if you don't get an appointment for an interview until later.

In explaining the State Department's process for handling the deaths of US citizens in Mexico, Callahan notes that they are informed of the deaths through many channels, including from local police, the media, and local consulates and consular agents. "When a will is in place, the process is straightforward," Callahan said. "We follow the wishes expressed in the will as closely as possible."

But if there is no will, the first step is often to identify the body and the next of kin, following a specific order: spouse first, then children, parents, siblings, grandparents and so on. The deparftment examines passport records, talks to neighbors, and checks the internet for websites and personal sites like Facebook. If no next of kin can be found, the department attempts to identify what is called a local representative, such as a friend or landlord, to accept responsibility.

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