What can the Department of State do to assist U.S. citizens pursuing claims against foreign governments?
The Department of State seeks to provide appropriate assistance whenever possible in claims involving United States citizens against foreign states. However, the ability of the United States to pursue individual claims formally must be determined on a case-by-case basis in accordance with generally recognized principles of international law. In order for the United States to be able to present a formal claim against a foreign government, the claimant must have been a U.S. citizen at the time the claim arose. Furthermore, the claimant must have exhausted local judicial and/or administrative remedies, or have demonstrated that to do so would be futile. Unless these conditions are met, the United States Government can not consider formal presentation of a claim. Inquiries about such claims may be addressed to the Office of the Legal Adviser, International Claims and Investment Disputes (L/CID), Department of State, (202) 776-8430. For information about the service provisions of the Foreig
