Guidance

Sudan: bereavement: death abroad

Published 16 August 2021

Introduction

When a relative or friend dies abroad, the different procedures, laws or language can cause additional distress. You may be uncertain about what to do or who to contact.

This country specific information is designed to help you through some of the practical arrangements you may need to make. It supplements the general information on death abroad produced by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which applies to all countries.

Please note, as each country has its own laws and customs when a death occurs, it may not be possible to make the arrangements that you prefer, or at the time you would like.

Disclaimer

This information is not meant to be definitive, nor is it to be taken as a substitute for independent legal advice. Neither His Majesty’s Government nor its staff take any responsibility for the accuracy of the information, nor accept liability for any loss, costs, damage or expense that you might suffer as a result of relying on the information. Some of the information may not be relevant to your circumstances. The language used is intended to be general and factual, and is not meant to cause offence.

How to contact the FCDO

There is a lot of information below, but you may have questions. You can speak to someone by phone 24/7, any day of the year by contacting the FCDO in London on 0207 008 1500.

If you are not in the UK, you can find contact details of the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate. The priority of FCDO is to provide assistance to British nationals overseas who need the most help. The level and type of assistance they can offer is tailored to the individual circumstances of each case.

Essential information

Next of kin

The next of kin of the person who died will usually need to make decisions and practical arrangements. The next of kin can sometimes appoint another person to act on their behalf.

If you are not the next of kin, they will need to be informed. If required, the FCDO can help you do this. They will pass the details to the UK police who will in turn inform the next of kin.

There is no legal definition of next of kin in the UK. Please note that if there is a disagreement over who is the next of kin, or the person who died did not choose a next of kin, this can cause additional complications.

Release of information to next of kin

FCDO will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this may be made available only to the next of kin. Consular officers may be able to obtain information themselves, or they may put you in touch directly with the authorities overseas. They may be able to provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, or other organisations.

Insurance

It is very important to check if the person who died had insurance. If they had insurance, contact the insurance company as soon as possible. They may have a list of approved funeral directors to help you make arrangements, or be able to cover some of the costs.

If the person who died did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and will usually be responsible for all costs. FCDO cannot help with these costs.

Appointing a funeral director

If you decide to bring the deceased to the UK for the funeral, you may need to appoint an international funeral director. The FCDO produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

The international funeral director will in turn appoint a local undertaker. The local undertaker will require a permission letter signed and stamped by the Embassy to facilitate repatriation.

If you decide to arrange a funeral in Sudan, you can find a list of funeral directors.

Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

You will need to register the death with the local authorities in the country where the person died. Sometimes a funeral director can do this for you. You will usually need documents about you and the person who has died, which includes information such as the full name, date of birth and their passport number.

The death must be registered at the district health office. The Sudanese authorities will issue a death certificate in Arabic. You may wish to get this translated into English. See our list of translators and interpreters in Sudan.

If a post mortem has been conducted but the forensic report has not been finalised, a death certificate may be issued with the cause of death stated as ‘not yet verified/determined’ to allow the repatriation of the deceased. If you wish for confirmation of the cause of death stated on the local death certificate, you will need to speak to your funeral director.

The local authorities will need to be told if the person suffered from any infectious conditions such as hepatitis or HIV so they can take precautions against infection.

You do not need to register the death with the UK authorities. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. If you still wish to get a British style death certificate, you can find more information and apply online on the register a death page.

Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

Post mortems are conducted by the Sudanese authorities, without consent from the next of kin. Organs and tissue samples may be retained for the duration of the post mortem examination without informing the next of kin. The retained organs may be returned after the post mortem examinations are complete. The duration of a post mortem examination varies depending on the circumstances of the case. Post mortem reports may be obtained but the process can be very lengthy as the Sudanese authorities’ investigations into the cause of death can take time. Consequently the cause of death may not get released until months after the death.

Mortuary facilities

Mortuary and refrigeration facilities are available throughout Sudan although facilities and fees vary depending on conditions and location and we recommend that you check the fees. Standards and facilities are not the same as you would find in the United Kingdom.

Burial, cremation, repatriation

The next of kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial or bringing the person home, which is known as repatriation. Your funeral director will usually be able to explain the options available, the costs and help you make arrangements. Cremation is available in Sudan. If you wish for the deceased to be cremated you will have to appoint a funeral director who will make arrangements for the cremation to take place.

Please note that if a local burial takes place, then an inquest in the UK will not be possible. For more information on UK coroners and inquests please refer to the coping with death abroad guide and the section on further procedures in the UK.

Embalming is required for repatriation and embalming procedures may have an impact on the efficacy of any subsequent post mortems (for example, if one is ordered by a Coroner in England and Wales).

Return of personal belongings

Personal effects are normally returned to the next of kin, or their authorised representative. If personal effects need to be returned to the UK and next of kin is not present in Sudan, the local undertaker can assist with making arrangements by commercial means. However, it is not possible for money to be sent by commercial means. Arrangements will need to be made through local banking channels. The cost would normally be met by the insurance company or by the next of kin.

The British Embassy in Khartoum cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who died.

Steps to take in the UK

You can find more information on the steps to take in the UK online. This includes information on arranging the funeral, telling the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who died. See this step-by-step guide on gov.uk.

British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with HM Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you will need to complete a “D1 form”.

For form, and instructions on where to send it, see FCDO guide on what do to with a passport when the passport holder has died.

If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may require their passport to do this. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.

If the next of kin wants the passport, the cancelled passport will be returned to them.

Further information

Child deaths

The above information applies in child’s deaths cases.

Deaths in road traffic accidents

The above information applies in road traffic accidents’ deaths.

Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter

If the local police have confirmed that they are investigating the death as a murder or manslaughter a dedicated team within the FCDO will be available to provide support, including by referring you to specialised organisations. Find out more about what they can do online](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/helping-british-people-abroad-murder-and-manslaughter).

You should note that if the deceased is repatriated to the UK a coroner or procurator fiscal (a public prosecutor in Scotland) may decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

In cases of deaths in suspicious circumstances, local police investigations can take anything from a few weeks to many years. If you are in Sudan you will usually be interviewed by the police and prosecutor as part of the investigation. Witnesses, friends and neighbours of the deceased are also likely to be interviewed. Prosecutors will usually share information with families. You are advised to appoint a local lawyer who will be able to seek updates, give advice on the local judicial system and request reports on your behalf.

See list of English speaking lawyers.

This is particularly important if you are outside Sudan. If a case is closed, it is unlikely that it will be reopened unless new evidence becomes available; and only then will it be reopened on appeal via a lawyer.

The judicial process is very different to the UK. Prosecutors play a leading role in investigations and the process can take from one to two years, sometimes longer. The death penalty is used in Sudan. The UK government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We believe its use undermines human dignity, there is no proof of its deterrent effect, and errors made in its use are irreversible. Where there is a risk of the death penalty being imposed on a British National and carried out for the crime under investigation, the UK will seek assurances that anyone found guilty would not face the death penalty. Provision of UK assistance and related information may not be provided to the overseas authority if inadequate or no assurances are received.

UK coroners and inquests

If you repatriate the person who died to England and Wales there may be an inquest. The decision on when to hold an inquest is made by His Majesty’s Coroner. Please note, an inquest will usually only happen in certain situations, for example, when someone has died in suspicious, unnatural, and violent circumstances or whilst in detention.

If you repatriate the person who died to Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal (a public prosecutor in Scotland) may decide to call for a Fatal Accidents or Injuries Inquiry.

If you repatriate the person who died to Northern Ireland, there will be no coronial inquest or further inquiry. Please note, Procurators Fiscal and Coroners do not have jurisdiction in another country, nor do they seek to apportion blame to a named individual.

You can find more information on Coroners and the Procurator Fiscal in the FCDO guidance on Death Abroad.

Legal Aid

We are not aware of any Legal Aid or support organisations that can help locally. See list of English-speaking lawyers.

Compensation

We are not aware of compensation that can be offered locally.

See information on UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas.

Translation and Interpretation

The Sudanese authorities will issue all related documents in Arabic. You may wish to get this translated into English at one of our approved translators’ offices.

Additional Support

Local support organisations

We are not aware of any support organisations that can help locally.

Support organisations in the UK

In the UK, there are many organisations that can help bereaved families. Some of these are listed in the Coping with death abroad guide.