---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 10704"
description: "Duties of consular officers"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "107"
chapter_name: "EFFECTS OF DECEASED SEAMEN"
section: "10704"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 10704"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s10704"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "bf85cecab5d19221be0b22fb17af9850032296ed8c5fb147583a203cc29a66f2"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "e381fd676757c9691c61660475655af3097137d7368e748b4171072924d43559"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 10704 - Duties of consular officers

## Text

When a seaman dies outside the United States leaving money or property not on board a vessel, the consular officer nearest the place at which the money and property is located shall claim and take charge of it.

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 573.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 1070446:624 Section 10704 requires consular officers to take charge of the property (not left on board a vessel) of deceased seamen who have died outside the United States.