Cape Verde bereavement pack
Updated 13 August 2019
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bereavement-information-for-cape-verde/cape-verde-bereavement-pack
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.
Introduction
The death of a relative or friend can be a traumatic experience. But when the death occurs overseas, the distress felt by relatives and friends can be compounded by unfamiliar local procedures and perhaps even the inability to communicate in the language of the country where the death has occurred.
Consular staff are ready to help in any way they properly can. These notes are designed to help you through the practical arrangements you will need to make and to explain some of the procedures which may subsequently ensue.
You should be aware that Cape Verdean procedures differ to those in the United Kingdom and that while we appreciate your need for speedy action, this is not always possible.
In addition to this information, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office produces a Bereavement Guide which you may also find helpful. This is available on https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death
Standard Procedures
When death occurs by natural causes in hospital for a known illness, there will not be a post mortem examination. The attending doctor will certify the death and issue a death certificate stating the cause of death.
Under normal circumstances, a burial must take place in Cape Verde within 24 hours of the release of the deceased. The options available are local burial or repatriation. Cremation is not possible in Cape Verde. Local law does not establish a timescale for repatriation.
It is the responsibility of the deceased’s next-of-kin to instruct a funeral agent. A list of local English-speaking and international funeral agencies is available online or from a member of the Consular staff. Once the funeral agent has the next-of-kin’s signed authority to proceed, he will deal with all the relevant local procedures, including death registration.
If the deceased was insured, the insurance company should be informed as soon as possible so that consideration can be given to whether funeral arrangements are provided for under the terms of the policy. If so, the insurance company will appoint and instruct the undertaker on your behalf.
If there is no insurance cover, the cost of repatriation or local burial will need to be met by the family. Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth Office nor our Consulate have the resources to meet these expenses.
Road Deaths
If your relative has died in a road traffic accident and you are resident in the UK, we can contact, with your permission, the UK road safety charity Brake to ask for their support on your behalf. Alternatively, you may wish to call them yourself on their helpline: 0808 8000 401.
Brake is a road safety charity that provides dedicated support for people bereaved or seriously injured in road crashes. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is working in partnership with Brake to ensure UK nationals bereaved through road crashes abroad can access specialist support. The Brake helpline no. 0808 8000 401 or email helpline@brake.org.uk can offer a range of support, including:
• providing a listening ear, so you can talk about what you’re going through
• providing advice on how to cope with the terrible shock and trauma
• helping you understand procedures, such as how to seek legal help and court cases
• liaising with officials on your behalf if you’re finding it difficult to get answers or don’t have the energy to speak for yourself
• helping you access face to face support and counselling from experts
• putting you in touch with other support groups or people who have been bereaved in a road crash
Medical Procedures and Post Mortem Examinations
Post mortem examinations are compulsory in Cape Verde where a death has occurred suddenly or under suspicious circumstances. They are requested by the Public Prosecutor and they are part of the inquiry into the causes and circumstances of the death. Unlike a UK Coroner’s inquest, these inquiries are held solely with a view to establishing whether blame can be apportioned and charges brought about.
Post mortem examinations are carried out as soon as possible after death. Please note that there are only two pathologists in the archipelago and it can take up to 10 days for post mortem examinations to be arranged. Examinations take place at the morgue of the local hospital. On conclusion of the examination, the pathologist will issue a death certificate with cause of death and the body will be released to the local funeral director for burial or repatriation. If local burial is to take place, this will have to go ahead within 24 hours.
Complementary tests, such as histological or toxicological tests, are not available in Cape Verde. Similarly, organ donation is not available in Cape Verde. Any organs which are removed for examination are replaced before the body is sutured. Embalming is carried out at the hospital morgue by the funeral director.
Local Death Certificates
Registration with the Cape Verdean Civil Registration Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil) is mandatory.
This is normally dealt with by the funeral director. Officials at the Register Office will register the death based on information on the death certificate issued by the doctor/pathologist who has confirmed the death. Cape Verdean death certificates are only available in Portuguese. There is no International version available.
Consular Death Registration
Consular death registration is not a legal requirement
There is no obligation for the death of a British national overseas to be registered. If you wish to register the death of your relative/friend, apply online at www.gov.uk/register-a-death
UK Coroners
The Coroner in England and Wales is obliged by law to hold an inquest into the cause of any unnatural or violent death of a person whose remains physically lie in his or her area, even if the death occurred overseas and a post mortem examination has already been carried out before repatriation of the remains.
Coroners may request copies of post mortem and police reports from the authorities in the country where death occurred. In Cape Verde, these will normally only be made available once local judicial proceedings are concluded. This can take many months. In these circumstances, the Coroner may adjourn the inquest pending receipt of documentation from abroad.
Coroners can also order a second post mortem as part of the inquest. In Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) deals with the investigation of all sudden, suspicious, accidental, unexpected and unexplained deaths which occur in Scotland. If the deceased is repatriated to Scotland, the Scottish Health Department will be informed. In cases where the deceased is to be buried, there are no special requirements and funeral arrangements can be made without further delay. In cases where the deceased is to be cremated then no cremation can take place until the Health Department has authorised this. They may contact the Consulate for details of the death and to check that this has been registered locally. If the deceased is buried in Cape Verde, the Health Department will not become involved.
Coroners in Northern Ireland are not obliged to hold an inquest into cause of death. However, next of kin can apply for a judicial review if no inquest is held.
Clothing and Personal belongings
Any personal belongings found on your relative at the time of their death will be handed over to you or taken by the police and handed to you or to the court handling the death inquiry. The Consulate cannot store, collect or forward personal belongings on your behalf.
British Passport Cancellation
To avoid identity fraud, complete this passport cancellation form and send this with your relative’s passport to the nearest British Consulate in Portugal or passport office in the UK for cancellation. You can ask us to return the passport to you if you wish. If the passport has been lost or mislaid, you can report here a lost or stolen passport.
Translation and Interpretation
English is used in Cape Verde though not widely or fluently, with some local authorities and organisations not having a good ability to communicate in English.
Therefore, you may need to use an official translator when dealing with Cape Verdean procedures.
Support organisations in the UK
In the UK, many organisations can help bereaved families. Some of these are listed in the guide
Contacts for Consular assistance in Cape Verde
The British Consulate in Portugal provides consular assistance to UK nationals in Cape Verde. We do not have a Consulate in Cape Verde.
British Embassy Lisbon
Consular Section
Rua de São Bernardo, 33
1249-082 Lisboa, Portugal