Guidance

Oman: bereavement information pack

Updated 24 January 2022

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, 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 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

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 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London on 0207 008 1500.

If you are not in the UK, you can find the contact details of the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate online

If the death occurred outside of normal working hours, you can contact the British Embassy in Oman on the 24/7 number 00968 24609000 and select option 2.

Please note that Government offices in Oman are closed on Friday and Saturday and during local public holidays. They do not offer an emergency or out of hours service.

The priority of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office 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.

1. Next of Kin (NOK)

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 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office can help you do this.

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.

If there is uncertainty as to the deceased’s Next of Kin please contact the British Embassy as soon as possible who will inform you of the procedures, which will need to be followed.

The Next of Kin Authorisation form can be found as annex A (attached).

2. Release of information to next of kin

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this may be only available to the Next of Kin. Consular officers may be able to obtain this 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, charities, or other organisations.

Once the Next of Kin has been established the Embassy will prepare a No Objection Certificate, which will enable the necessary steps to be taken to obtain information relating to the death and collect the original death certificate from the Royal Oman Police. Access to information can sometimes be restricted until the Coroner has reviewed the evidence and the case has been concluded. (During this time it can be very difficult to obtain any information but we do try to assist as much as possible and we will keep you informed of progress).

3. 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 or all of the costs.

If the person who died did not have insurance, the Next of Kin will usually have to appoint a local funeral director and will usually be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot help with these costs.

Once the Next of Kin have decided how they wish to proceed, after considering the options available, there are certain local procedures to be followed. If the deceased lived and worked in Oman, their Employer will have a pivotal role and responsibilities. They will take the necessary steps to comply with local regulations and provide details of their insurance. It is usual for an Employer to bear the costs associated with the death of an employee.

If the deceased was here on a temporary basis, it is usual for their travel insurance company to take the necessary action and the company should be notified immediately. It is normal procedure for an insurance company to appoint a local agent to act on their behalf as they are knowledgeable in the local procedures and are based in country.

4. Appointing a funeral director

If you decide to repatriate the deceased to the UK, you may need to appoint an international funeral director who will deal with all aspects of the repatriation. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

If you decide to hold a funeral in Oman, either burial or cremation, you can find a list of local funeral directors in Oman who can assist you. See Annex B.

Appointing a local funeral director in Oman can assist greatly in the stressful and sometimes complex processes, which need to be properly addressed. They can advise and assist in matters such as registering the death, collecting the death certificate and other essential documentation, and make the necessary travel arrangements for the repatriation of the deceased.

5. Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

The death must be registered with the local authorities in Oman. A local funeral director can assist you with this or an Employer, if appropriate. You will usually need documents about you and the person who has died, which include information such as full name, date of birth and passport number. If resident in Oman, also the Civil ID number.

The first step is to notify the Royal Oman Police. They will photograph the deceased for subsequent identification purposes and will transport the body to the Mortuary, in Qurum. This is the only time transport for the deceased will be provided by the authorities.

If the death occurred in hospital, they will issue a Notification of Death. If not, this will be issued by the Royal Oman Police. Even if the Notification is issued by the hospital, it will need to be countersigned, stamped and authorised by the Royal Oman Police, and it will state the cause of death and whether or not a Post Mortem to be carried out. This Notification of Death, together with a No Objection Certificate from the British Embassy are required in order to obtain the Death Certificate.

In order for the Embassy to issue the No Objection Certificate, we will require the Notification of Death, original Passport and Letter of Authorisation from the Next of Kin (annex A).

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

The death is registered at the Civil Status department of the Royal Oman Police where the death certificate is also collected from. Both of these tasks can be performed by a local funeral director and do not have to be done in person.

The death certificate is normally issued very quickly in Arabic and English and there is a small fee payable for this. The death certificate does not identify cause of death. This is recorded on the separate Notification of Death. However, the death certificate is accepted as proof of death by the UK authorities.

You do not have to register the death of a British national that occurs overseas with the UK authorities. The local death certificate can be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. If it is not in English, you will need to obtain and pay for an official translation.

You can sometimes apply for a consular death registration. This is not mandatory and cannot be used instead of a death certificate from the country where the person died. It is only available in some countries. If you wish to do this, you can find more information and apply online at www.gov.uk/register-a-death.

6. Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

Post mortem examinations are not routinely carried out on British Nationals following death in Oman. The Next of Kin has the right to ask for a post mortem if they consider there are any unusual circumstances surrounding the death, but the decision to authorise a post mortem is made by the Royal Oman Police Coroner and is entirely at their discretion. Similarly, they may decide to carry out a post mortem, even if this is against the wishes of the Next of Kin. Consent is not required and often Next of Kin is not notified of this decision.

Organ retention is not routinely carried out during post mortem in Oman.

Next of Kin will not be routinely given a copy of the post mortem report. This can be requested and may be forwarded through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but again, this is at the discretion of the Royal Oman Police and sometimes can be difficult to obtain. If supplied, the document will be in Arabic and it will be necessary to have a translation for which there will be a cost. If the UK Coroner is involved, they may request a copy of the report, but the same procedures are followed.

Post Mortems are carried out at the Mortuary, which is a department within Royal Oman Police. More on Mortuary facilities will follow in Point number 7.

7. Mortuary facilities

There are Royal Oman Police Mortuary facilities in Muscat and Salalah.

It is possible to visit the deceased at the Mortuary, and there are some members of staff there who speak English. They are accustomed to family wishing to visit and staff at the Mortuary are sympathetic and helpful.

The Mortuary facilities are adequate but are not to the same standard of facilities found in the UK. This can be stressful for the Next of Kin and for family members and anyone wishing to visit the Mortuary should be prepared for this.

It is normal procedure to contact the employer or the British Embassy if you wish to visit the Mortuary, who will arrange a suitable time for you to visit.

There is no cost involved for use of the Mortuary and all Mortuary Services come under the care of the Royal Oman Police.

8. Burial, cremation, repatriation

The Next of Kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial, cremation 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 all the necessary arrangements.

Below are outlined some of the details of each option.

Local burial

The authorised burial ground for non-Muslims in Muscat is the PDO Cemetery. There is a local Cemetery Committee, which has the required burial forms and a copy of the guidelines. If a church service is desired this can be arranged and you will need to contact the Protestant Church in Oman (+968 24702372 or +968 24799475) or the Catholic Church (+968 24590373)

Documents required will be:

• original local Death Certificate from Royal Oman Police
• authorisation from Next Of Kin for burial in Oman
• authorisation from British Embassy for burial in Oman
• release letter from Royal Oman Police
• notification of death from Royal Oman Police

Cremation

Cremation in Oman is available but is not the same as cremation in the UK. Please speak to Embassy staff to discuss before embarking upon this course of action.

There are two options for cremation in Oman; firstly a Western style cremation and secondly, a Hindu style cremation. The Crematorium is based in Sohar, in Al Batinah region, which is located 250 kms from Muscat. It is managed and operated by the Key Lash Hindu Temple and the contacts are Dhiral Thakkar (99566810) or Kailash Joshy (92613069). The management office is 24792170.

There is also a Crematorium in Salalah, but this only offers a Hindu style cremation. The contact here is Mr Nilesh (99491045).

There is a cost associated with cremation in Oman. Currently, this is 60omr for a Hindu cremation (which also covers the cost of the firewood) and 100omr for use of the Western cremation facility.

Both cremation options allow for collection of ashes after the cremation and these are presented in a clay pot.

Documents required for cremation are:

• original local death certificate from Royal Oman Police
• authorisation from Next of Kin for cremation in Oman
• authorisation from British Embassy for cremation in Oman
• release of the body letter from Royal Oman Police
• notification of death certificate from Royal Oman Police

Cremation in the western way

The cremation facility is located in a purpose built building located on the same site as the Hindu facilities. It contains the machinery and equipment needed to cremate a body within a furnace according to tradition. The furnace is heated using electricity and is heated to the required seven hundred degrees fahrenheit. There is the option to have the body in a traditional coffin or wrapped in a shroud.

Once the body is carried into the crematorium building and placed on to the machine, prior to entering the furnace, there is the option to remain with the body or to remain in the reception hall located in another adjacent building. It is possible to have family, friends, relatives and a priest with you during the visit to the crematorium should you wish.

Cremation in the Hindu way

The body is taken from the coffin and wrapped in a shroud. This is then carried to the funeral pyre by male relatives. While doing this the pyre is circled three times anti-clockwise. This is usually done by the male relatives of the family, led by the chief mourner (senior male next of kin). On the pyre, the feet of the body are positioned pointing south in the direction of the realm of Yama and the head positioned north towards the realm of Kubera, the god of wealth.

Traditionally it is the chief mourner who sets light to the pyre. This is done by accepting flaming kusha twigs from the Dom’s who are part of the Hindu caste responsible for tending to funeral pyres. The chief male mourner is expected to remain with the body until the cremation is complete.

Repatriation

This is possible and is organised regularly by local agents who are familiar with the local processes and procedures in preparation for repatriation.

The deceased will need to be declared free from any infectious or contagious diseases and a certificate issued to this effect. The body will then be embalmed as this is an international requirement. Regulations also require a zinc lined coffin to be used for transportation, which can be obtained locally. Certification of embalming and Certification of Coffin Sealing will be issued following identification of the deceased. These three certificates are required by the airline to comply with International Regulations and to complete local procedures.

Upon arrival in the UK the coffin will be met by an appointed UK representative, usually a funeral director, and taken to the funeral home chosen by the Next of Kin. Normal UK procedures will then be followed, unless the UK Coroner has requested a Post Mortem.

There are no local charities available to fund funeral costs in Oman.

There is no available option to donate the body of the deceased to medical research in Oman.

If a local burial or cremation takes place, then an inquest in the UK will not be possible. For more information on inquests, see the information on UK coroners and inquests.

9. Return of personal belongings

Any personal belongings of the deceased can only be returned to the Next of Kin upon completion of all police enquiries and local procedures. Personal belongings are usually transported by the Next of Kin or family via local agents or commercial courier companies. It is not unusual for the family to travel to Oman to organise this or collect the belongings in person.

If the deceased was resident in Oman there may be valuable items such as cars, motorcycles and boats which need to sold locally. This can be a lengthy and complicated process and one for which it is best to seek local legal advice. The British Embassy provides a list of local lawyers.

Please note, the British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who died.

10. 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. There is a step-by-step guide on gov.uk.

11. British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you will need to complete a “D1 form” which can be found on line or can be provided by the Embassy. The original Passport should be taken to the Embassy where it will be cancelled and returned to the Next of Kin for repatriation with the deceased. If you plan to repatriate the deceased to the UK, you will require their cancelled passport in order to to do this.

See form and instructions on what to do with a passport when the passport holder has died

12. Child deaths

Depending upon the age of the child, and if they do not already hold a British Passport, you may need a travel document (Emergency Passport or Emergency Travel Document). A funeral director can advise further on this or please contact the British Embassy for further advice and guidance.

If you do need a travel document, the following will be required:

• death notification/certificate
• birth notification/certificate
• parents full UK Birth certificates/Naturalisation or Registration certificates
• parents’ passports (British and/or non-British)
• parents’ marriage certificate
• if the parents were born in UK after 1 January 1983, a grandparent’s full UK Birth Certificate/Naturalisation or Registration Certificate and Marriage Certificate if this is a grandmother who has changed her name
• the British Embassy will then contact colleagues in London to determine nationality of the child. Once we have this information we can then issue the travel document

13. Deaths in road traffic accidents

Royal Oman Police will conduct a full investigation into any road traffic accident. Death resulting from a RTA will follow the normal procedures and it is likely that the process may take a little longer than normal due to ongoing investigation.

14. 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 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will be available to provide support, including by referring you to specialised organisations. Read what the FCDO can do

You should note that if the deceased is repatriated to different parts of the UK a coroner or procurator fiscal may decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

All such cases would be dealt by the Royal Oman Police. Any suspect would face the normal judicial processes in Oman and the relatives of the victim would be updated on the progress of the case by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in the UK and by the Embassy in Oman.

The procedures for repatriation or otherwise would follow the normal processes.

15. 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 usually only happens in certain situations, for example, when someone has died in suspicious, unnatural, and violent circumstances or whilst in detention. If the person who died is cremated and only their ashes are brought home, there will not be an inquest.

If you repatriate the deceased to Scotland, the Procurator Fiscal 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 Oman, nor do they seek to apportion blame to any named individual.

You can find more information on Coroners and the Procurator Fiscal in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guide on death abroad.

16. Legal Aid

There is no form of Legal Aid available in Oman. However, there is a list of local lawyers who can assist you if you require legal advice.

17. Compensation

There is compensation available to victims of crime in Oman and this compensation would be decided by and awarded by the Courts. It is not unusual for victims of crime to be asked what form or amount of compensation you believe you should receive. In this situation you would have the advice of a lawyer and the public prosecution to guide you.

You can find more information on UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas.

18. Translation and interpretation

Arabic is the official language of Oman, however, English is widely spoken, particularly in the Capital area, Muscat. Most local authorities and government organisations will have English and Arabic speakers, although this can inconsistent. Death certificates are issued in Arabic and English but usually most documents are issued only in Arabic and will require a translation. There is always a fee to pay for translating documents.

See our list of local translators.

Additional support

19. Local support organisations

Local support organisations and NGOs are not available in Oman, however, there are several good counsellors who are available to provide additional support if needed. A list of these local counsellors can be found in annex C at the end of this document.

20. Support organisations in the UK

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

• annex A: next of kin authorisation form
• annex B: list of funeral directors in Oman
• annex C: letter from NOK to the crematorium
• annex D: list of local counsellors:

Name	Contact	Specialisation
Jane Jaffer	99314230; elixirhfc@hotmail.com	Counsellor
Janet Nel	Al Harub Medical Centre: 24600750	Psychologist
Reinalda Van Heuven Drnison	Al Harub Medical Centre: 24600750	Psychologist – Child and Family
Nutaila Al Khurusi	Al Harub Medical Centre: 24600750	Psychologist – Centre Manager
Claire Al Turihi	95925802	Counsellor

If you wish to contact counsellors or support organisations in the United Kingdom, a list of useful organisations are available in the last two pages of the guide for bereaved families.

For support with Depression, please see OutoftheBlues page.