Do not give the names of your traveling companions in case the entire party is involved in the same accident. Because the U.S. Government cannot pay for local burial or shipment of remains to the United States, it is worthwhile to have insurance to cover this. Under certain circumstances, a consular officer becomes the provisional conservator of a deceased American's estate and arranges for the disposition of those effects. These include information on Selective Service registration, travel advisories, absentee voting, and the acquisition or loss of U.S. citizenship. They arrange for the transfer of Social Security and other federal benefits to beneficiaries residing abroad, provide U.S. tax forms, and notarize documents.
Consuls can also provide information on how to obtain foreign public documents.
What U.S. Consulates Can't Do Consular officers will do their best to assist U.S. nationals abroad. However, they must devote priority time and energies to those Americans who find themselves in the most serious legal, medical, or financial difficulties. Because of limited resources, consuls cannot provide routine or commercial-type services. They cannot act as travel agents, information bureaus, banks, or law enforcement officers. U.S. federal law forbids a consular officer from acting as your lawyer.