Repatriation to and from Sudan

Repatriation from Sudan to the United Kingdom

Since the conflict began in April 2023, a death in Sudan has been harder to deal with from the UK than almost anywhere else. The British Embassy in Khartoum is closed, there are no British consular staff in the country, and flights are limited. We coordinate what can be done from the UK, with the family and whoever is with your loved one, and tell you on the first call what is possible for your case. Our repatriation hub explains the process if you are at the very start.

The process in Sudan: registration and the certificate

The death is registered at the district health office, and the Sudanese authorities issue the death certificate in Arabic, which is then translated into English. Post-mortems are carried out by the authorities without the family's consent, and the cause of death can take months to confirm; where the report is not finished, the certificate may state the cause as not yet determined, so that your loved one can still come home. Consular help is by telephone only, through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's 24-hour line.

Preparation and transport

Hygienic treatment (embalming) is required before your loved one can leave Sudan, and the local undertaker needs a permission letter from the authorities. Your loved one is placed in a sealed coffin with a metal lining. Khartoum and Port Sudan airports are running a limited number of international flights, and there are no direct flights to the UK, so the route is by air through a hub, roughly 4,800 km. 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 here. With the Sudanese 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 decides whether an inquest is needed, usually only where the death was violent, unnatural or unexplained. The passport is cancelled with HM Passport Office after your loved one is home.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from Sudan usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact when the papers and a flight are available, and it can take longer. The main factors are the certificate, any post-mortem, the permission letter and whether the airports are open.

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 route out. The government advises against all travel to Sudan, and travelling against that advice can invalidate travel insurance, so check any policy early. The Foreign Office does not pay repatriation costs; we help you with an insurance claim where there is one.

Authorities involved

• District health office: registers the death.
• Sudanese authorities: issue the death certificate in Arabic, carry out any post-mortem and give permission for your loved one to leave.
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: consular help by telephone; the embassy in Khartoum is closed.
• UK registrar and coroner: the registrar issues the certificate of no liability to register; the coroner decides whether an inquest is needed.

Documents required

• Sudanese death certificate: in Arabic, with a certified English translation.
• Permission letter: for your loved one to leave Sudan.
• Hygienic treatment certificate: required for repatriation from Sudan.
• Passport: cancelled with HM Passport Office after the repatriation.
• Certificate of no liability to register: from the UK registrar, before the funeral.

Repatriation from the United Kingdom to Sudan

For many Sudanese families in the UK, a burial at home is what the person would have wanted, and an Islamic burial asks for speed. The conflict has made it harder: flights are limited and the family at home may have moved. We prepare everything on the UK side, agree with the family where your loved one will be received, and tell you on the first call what is possible. 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 leave England and Wales, the law requires at least four clear days' notice to the coroner for the district (the Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954). The coroner signs the out of England form on a written notice, both passports and the registrar's death certificate; where the coroner is not investigating, it usually takes one to two working days. We do this on the family's behalf. In Scotland the equivalent authority is the procurator fiscal.

Faith and timing

Many families want the ritual washing and the shroud done here, before the coffin is sealed, and the janazah prayed before departure. Tell us on the first call, and we plan it alongside the hygienic treatment the transport requires, so nothing waits longer than it has to.

Preparation and transport

Your loved one receives hygienic treatment (embalming) and is placed in a sealed coffin with a metal lining. There are no direct flights, so the route is by air through a hub to Port Sudan or Khartoum, whichever is open, roughly 4,800 km. We confirm with the Sudanese Embassy in London, case by case, which documents it needs to see.

Arriving in Sudan

The family, or the person they choose, receives your loved one at the airport for the burial. The government advises against all travel to Sudan, so we do not ask anyone from the UK to fly out with the coffin.

Timelines and what affects them

A repatriation from the UK to Sudan usually takes 2 to 7 days from first contact when a flight is available, and it can take longer. The main factors are the coroner's notice and whether the airports are open. 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.
• Sudanese Embassy, London: confirms the documents it needs for the case.
• The family or their chosen person in Sudan: 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.