When someone dies in Côte d’Ivoire
The process when a British national dies in Côte d’Ivoire, including registering the death, funerals and cremations, and bringing the person’s body to the UK.
Contacting the insurance company
If the person who died had insurance, contact their insurance company as soon as possible. Read the general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad if you’re not sure if they had insurance.
The insurance company should appoint a funeral director in Côte d’Ivoire and the UK. They may also cover the cost of bringing the person’s body to the UK (repatriation) and help with any medical, legal, interpretation and translation fees.
Registering the death
The death must be registered at the local Ivorian registry office.
You will need to provide information and documents about the deceased, including:
- national ID card/ birth certificate or passport
- national ID card of the declarant
- copy of the medical death certificate issued by the hospital
- copy of their marriage certificate, if applicable
- copy of the legal declaration, if applicable
Getting a death certificate
After registering the death, you will receive a death certificate (Certificat de décès). You can request an official translation if needed. Côte d’Ivoire death certificates may include the cause of death. It is advisable to request extra copies, as you may need them for various administrative purposes later.
Postmortems in Côte d’Ivoire
A postmortem, or autopsy, is a medical examination of the body. In Côte d’Ivoire, an autopsy may be carried out if the cause of death is unknown, unnatural, sudden, or violent. It is standard practice when there is doubt about the cause of death. Autopsies are requested by the police and can be performed without the authorisation of the next of kin, often as soon as the body reaches the morgue. However, the authorities may be able to accommodate any special requests made by the next of kin.
Postmortem reports are not usually given to the next of kin. If you have a lawyer.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot stop or interfere with the process of a post mortem.
Burying or cremating the body in Côte d’Ivoire
You need a local funeral director to arrange a burial in Côte d’Ivoire. The exact rules on burials are different depending on where you are in the country. Your funeral director can give you advice.
Cremation is not permitted in Côte d’Ivoire.
You should not have the person cremated abroad if you want a coroner in England and Wales to conduct an inquest into their death. In Scotland, a further investigation may still be possible.
Bringing the body to the UK
Ask your funeral director about options for bringing the person’s body to the UK from Côte d’Ivoire.
When taking the person’s body to the UK from Côte d’Ivoire you will need:
- a death certificate
- a transfer authorisation
- permission to remove the person’s body, issued by a coroner
- authorisation from the Ministry of Interior
Getting the person’s belongings back
Belongings the person had with them when they died are normally given to the next of kin or the Ivorian police.
If you bring the person’s body to the UK, you can ask your local funeral director to collect all the belongings and transport them together.
If they were a Côte d’Ivoire resident, you may not be able to take the belongings as they may be part of their estate. Get legal advice if this happens.
Belongings may be kept as evidence if there is an investigation into the death. This will only be returned when the court case is over.
The FCDO cannot help with the cost of returning personal belongings to the family.
The British embassy in Côte d’Ivoire cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who died.
Finding a French translator
You may need a translator to help you understand French rules or get documents translated. Check official translators in Côte d’Ivoire. The British embassy in Côte d’Ivoire cannot provide translation services or pay for translation costs.
Finding a lawyer in Côte d’Ivoire
You may need a lawyer to help you understand the Côte d’Ivoire legal system when someone has died. Check the list of English-speaking lawyersin Côte d’Ivoire. The embassy in Côte d’Ivoire cannot give you legal advice or pay for legal costs.
Telling the UK authorities
Although you do not have to register the death in the UK, when someone dies abroad you still need to tell the UK authorities. Read general guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad to find out what to do.
Contacting the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
You can contact the FCDO if you still need advice:
- in the UK call +44 (0)20 7008 5000
- see how to get help from the UK government abroad