Repatriation to and from Somalia

Repatriation from Somalia to the United Kingdom

Many Somali families in the UK travel between the two countries, and some have relatives in Somaliland. When someone dies in Somalia or Somaliland, bringing them home brings together the local authorities, the flight through a hub such as Addis Ababa, and the arrangements at home. We coordinate all three from the UK. If you are at the very start of this, our repatriation hub explains the process in plain terms.

One thing to know first: the UK government's help in Somalia is severely limited. There is no in-person support from staff at the British Embassy in Mogadishu or the British Office in Hargeisa, and urgent help comes from the British High Commission in Nairobi or, for Somaliland, the British Embassy in Addis Ababa. Somalia and Somaliland treat a British national of Somali descent as a dual national, which limits what the consulate can do.

The process in Somalia: the certificate and release

The family obtains the death certificate from the hospital where the death happened. If it was not at Digfeer, De Martino or Banadir hospital, papers from the Criminal Investigation Division are needed as well. These go to the Director General of the Ministry of Health, who issues a confirmation letter. Somaliland has its own administration, so the offices there differ; tell us on the first call where your loved one is.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment (embalming) and is placed in a hermetically sealed coffin, as the airlines require. There are no direct flights, so the route is by air through a hub, usually Addis Ababa, roughly 6,900 km. The airline asks for the death certificate, a letter confirming the preparation and the sealed coffin, a certificate that there is no contagious disease, and a copy of the passport. From the UK airport we drive on to the funeral director you have chosen.

Bringing your loved one into the UK

The death does not need registering again in the UK. With the Somali certificate and a certified English translation, the registrar where the funeral will be issues a certificate of no liability to register. A coroner in England or Wales must be told if the death was violent, unnatural or of unknown cause, and gives authority for a cremation. For a burial by Islamic rite, we plan the steps so that the funeral can take place as soon as the papers allow.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from Somalia usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact, and it can take longer. The main factors are the hospital, police and Ministry of Health papers, the connections through the hub, and whether anyone from the family can safely be where the papers are signed.

This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on where your loved one is and on the airline route. The UK government advises against travel to most of Somalia, and travelling against that advice can invalidate travel insurance, so check any policy early. We help you with the claim where there is one.

Authorities involved

• Hospital: issues the death certificate.
• Criminal Investigation Division: provides papers where the death was not at Digfeer, De Martino or Banadir hospital.
• Ministry of Health, Director General: issues the confirmation letter.
• British High Commission, Nairobi (or the British Embassy, Addis Ababa, for Somaliland): the UK's consular contact, with limited help.
• UK registrar and coroner: the registrar issues the certificate of no liability to register; the coroner is told where the death was violent, unnatural or unexplained.

Documents required

• Hospital death certificate: with the Ministry of Health confirmation letter, and a certified English translation.
• Criminal Investigation Division papers: where the death was outside the three main Mogadishu hospitals.
• Hygienic treatment certificate: confirming preparation and the sealed coffin.
• Freedom from infection certificate: confirming no contagious disease.
• Passport: a copy travels with the coffin.

Repatriation from the United Kingdom to Somalia

For many Somali families in the UK, a burial at home is what the person and the family would want, and the speed of an Islamic burial matters. Taking your loved one home brings together the UK coroner's formalities, the airline's requirements and the family at the other end. We prepare everything on the UK side and keep the family in Somalia or Somaliland informed. Our repatriation hub sets out the essentials if you are at the start.

Telling the coroner: taking a loved one out of England and Wales

Before a loved one can be taken out of England and Wales, the law requires that the coroner for the district be given at least four clear days' notice (the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954). In practice the coroner signs the out of England form on a written notice, an application form, both passports and the registrar's death certificate, and where the coroner is not investigating the approval usually comes within one to three working days. We complete all of it on the family's behalf. In Scotland the equivalent authority is the procurator fiscal, and in Northern Ireland the coroner.

Faith and timing

Islam asks for a prompt burial, and many families want the ritual washing done before departure. The transport has its own requirements, hygienic treatment and a sealed coffin among them, so we talk them through with you on the first call and plan each step so that nothing waits longer than it has to.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment (embalming) and is placed in a hermetically sealed coffin. There are no direct flights, so the route is by air through a hub, usually Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines, to Mogadishu or Hargeisa, roughly 6,900 km. The airline asks for the death certificate, a letter confirming the preparation and the sealed coffin, a certificate that there is no contagious disease, and a copy of the passport.

Arriving in Somalia or Somaliland

The family, or the person they choose, receives your loved one at the airport for the burial. Somaliland has its own administration and a mission in London, so tell us on the first call which airport and which town the family is in. The UK government advises against travel to most of Somalia, so we do not ask anyone to fly out with the coffin.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to Somalia usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact. The main factors are the four clear days' notice to the coroner, which can sometimes be shortened, and the flight connections. Where the death has been referred to the coroner for investigation, the timeline can be longer.

This estimate is counted from when the death is registered, and our team does everything possible to complete the repatriation sooner.

Costs and financial support

We put a firm price in writing on the first call, and that is the figure on the invoice. The figure depends on the destination airport and any UK funeral-home and mortuary fees. A life-insurance policy, a funeral plan or a community or mosque fund may cover part of the cost, and we help you check what it covers.

Authorities involved

• UK coroner (or procurator fiscal in Scotland): must be given at least four clear days' notice before your loved one is taken out of England and Wales, and signs the out of England form.
• UK registrar: registers the death and issues the death certificate.
• Embalmer / UK funeral director: carries out hygienic treatment and seals the coffin.
• The airline: accepts your loved one on the documents and the sealed coffin it requires.
• The family or their chosen person in Somalia or Somaliland: receives your loved one for the burial.

Documents required

• UK death certificate: issued by the registrar once the death is registered.
• Coroner's out of England form: after at least four clear days' notice.
• Hygienic treatment certificate: with confirmation of the sealed coffin.
• Freedom from infection certificate: confirming no contagious disease.
• Passport: a copy travels with the coffin.