Guidance

Ethiopia: bereavement information

Updated 19 July 2022

1. 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 coping with 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.

2. 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 +44 20 7008 1500.

If you are not in the UK, you can find the contact details of the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate online.

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 we can offer is tailored to the individual circumstances of each case.

3. Next of kin

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.

When someone dies in Ethiopia and the next of kin is in the UK or abroad, Ethiopian authorities normally notify the British Embassy. Consular staff will do whatever they can to trace the next of kin as soon as possible and would ask the UK police to pass on the sad news. You might also be notified about the death directly by someone else e.g. a doctor or a social worker.

We will do everything we can to make sure the next of kin does not hear about the death first from the media, although we cannot always influence this. In exceptional circumstances, this may mean having to notify the next of kin about the death over the phone.

If the next of kin is in Ethiopia, they will normally be notified of the death by the Ethiopian authorities. If no next of kin has been appointed by the person who has died, the Ethiopian authorities will usually try to make contact with a friend/ relative in the order of priority set out below:

• spouse/ partner
• adult son or daughter (over 18-years-old)
• parents
• adult sibling (over 18-years-old)
• an adult with sufficient relationship to the person who has died (most likely to be a close friend)

3.1 Release of information to next of kin

Consular officers will normally have to obtain information about the death of your relative or friend on your behalf. We will try to obtain as much information as possible, although the amount of detail provided by the authorities can be very limited. We may also be able to provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities, or other organisations.

Requests for the authorities to investigate a death in more detail should be made through a legal representative or a funeral director. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of lawyers in Ethiopia and a list of funeral directors.

Access to information such as the cause of death may be restricted until the evidence has been reviewed (such as post-mortem and police reports). For a natural death, this process is normally reasonably straightforward and will be concluded in a few days or weeks. If there is suspicion around the cause, the investigation may take longer and accessing information might be more difficult.

4. 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 of the costs.

If the person who died is not covered by insurance, the next of kin will be responsible for all repatriation and/or funeral costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot assist with these costs.

5. Appointing a funeral director

If you decide to bring the deceased to the UK for the funeral or cremation, you may only need to appoint an international funeral director. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of international funeral directors based in the UK.

If the person who died was insured it will normally be the insurance company which will appoint the funeral director both locally and in the UK. You should not appoint your own funeral director or be pressurised by local funeral agencies to do so. Normally this process works well, but if there are concerns about the local funeral director, we may be able to assist.

If you decide to hold a funeral or cremation in Ethiopia, you will need to appoint a local funeral director. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of funeral directors based in Ethiopia.

6. Identification of the person who has died

The person who has died will normally be identified visually by the next of kin. We may be able to accompany you and provide support during this process. If you are not in Ethiopia to identify the person who has died, we will need to agree the best way forward depending on the circumstances. In some cases, identification can be carried out by means of documentation such as a passport or driving license.

7. Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

You will need to register the death with the local authorities. 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. The appointed funeral director will then take steps to obtain the death certificate. Burial, cremation or repatriation cannot take place without first obtaining the death certificate.

Please be aware that death certificates are sometimes issued in a local language. The cause of death given on the death certificate often lacks detail and may not always state the underlying cause.

You do not need to register the death with the UK authorities. The local death certificate can usually 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. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of translators in Ethiopia.

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 on registering a death and apply online.

8. Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

Autopsies are always carried out for unexpected or sudden deaths. The only exception is at the discretion of the hospital doctors for natural deaths of overseas citizens who have family in Ethiopia. An autopsy will always be required if you wish to repatriate your loved one as this is a requirement of most airlines. Autopsies are performed by the pathology sections of government hospitals (e.g. St Paul and Menelik hospitals). Relatives are usually required to cover the cost of an autopsy. Your local funeral director will normally pay for this on your behalf, and pass the charges on to you.

The British Embassy has no authority to stop an autopsy being carried out.

The next of kin can obtain a copy of the autopsy report from the Federal Police or Addis Ababa Police Commission.

In cases of a sudden or unexpected death (e.g. an accident) the police will prepare an initial report of their findings. A copy is usually sent to the next of kin or the Embassy, but this is not always the case. If a death is deemed to be the result of a criminal act the police will conduct a full investigation.

As part of the autopsy process, samples of organs may be removed without the consent or knowledge of the next of kin. All organs removed will be replaced once the autopsy process is complete. Organs cannot be removed for medical research or donation purposes if the person who has died is from overseas.

Once the Ethiopian authorities are content that no further examinations are needed, the person who has died can be repatriated to the UK or any other country, or buried or cremated in Ethiopia.

9. Mortuary facilities

Mortuary facilities in Addis Ababa, including those at the Menilik Betezata, Hale Luya, Hayat, St Gabriel, St Paul’s, and Korea Hospitals, are of a generally good standard. Although we will do everything we can to ensure appropriate storage, we cannot guarantee that suitable facilities will always be available.

The cost of mortuary storage has to be met by the next of kin and paid directly to the mortuary or via an international undertaker.

10. Burial, cremation, repatriation

The next of kin will usually need to decide between a local burial/ cremation or bringing the person home, which is known as repatriation.

11. Letter of release

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually requires the next of kin, undertaker or other authorised representative to provide a Letter of Release from the Embassy before they will release a body for cremation/ repatriation/ burial.

The Embassy will need written confirmation from the next of kin confirming who they have requested to organise the funeral/ repatriation before the Letter of Release can be issued.

12. Repatriation

Once the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received the Letter of Release issued by the British Embassy, the local death certificate, and (where appropriate) autopsy report, they will issue a letter permitting the repatriation of the person who died. This letter is sometimes called a No Objection letter.

Undertakers in Ethiopia are equipped to carry out repatriation procedures. Ethiopian undertakers will provide the special caskets required for the international carriage of human remains. Local formalities for repatriation normally take a week or more to complete.

13. Local Burials

Local burials are allowed for foreign nationals. Misrake Teshaye Gabriel Church in Addis Ababa has a burial ground where people can be buried, regardless of their religion. You will need to appoint a local funeral director and they can make the necessary arrangements.

14. Cremation

The Hindu Mahajan in Addis Ababa is the only place in Ethiopia where cremation is possible.

The documents required to facilitate a local cremation are as follows:

• a death certificate
• a passport of the person who has died
• a letter from the British Embassy to the Indian Embassy copied to the Hindu Mahajan, requesting the cremation
• a letter of authorisation from the Indian Embassy to the Hindu Mahajan (which the Indian Embassy will provide after receiving the letter of request from the British Embassy)
• a post mortem report (if one has taken place)
• a letter of authorisation from the next of kin to conduct the cremation with a copy of the passport
• a picture of the person who has died (following their death) for identification purposes.

15. Return of personal belongings

Personal effects are normally returned to the next of kin, or their authorised representative, without any formalities.

If personal effects need to be returned to the UK and the next of kin is not present in Ethiopia, the undertaker can assist with making arrangements by commercial means. The undertaker will usually pass on any costs incurred to the next of kin directly. If the person who died had insurance, check with the insurance company if this covers the return of their personal belongings.

Please note, the British Embassy cannot take responsibility for the personal belongings of the person who has died.

16. Steps to take in the UK

You can find more information online regarding steps to take in the UK. This includes information on arranging the funeral, informing the government of the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who has died. There is a step-by-step guide available on online.

17. British passport cancellation

In order to avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who has died should be cancelled with His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). To do this, you will need to complete a “D1 form”. The form and instructions on where to send it are available online.

If you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may require their passport. In these circumstances, you should cancel the passport after they have been repatriated.

18. Child death

There are no specific procedures for the death of a child.

19. Deaths in road traffic accidents

The traffic police will issue a report on the circumstances of the accident. Please note this can take many months.

20. 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 referring you to specialised organisations. You can find out more about what they can do online.

You should note that, if the death is deemed murder or manslaughter, and the person is repatriated to certain parts of the UK, a coroner or procurator fiscal may decide to hold an inquest. Please see the section on UK coroners and inquests below for further information.

21. UK coroners and inquests

If you repatriate the person who died to England or Wales, there may be an inquest. The decision on whether to hold an inquest is made by His Majesty’s Coroner. Please note, an inquest only takes place 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 buried or cremated and only their ashes are brought home, there will not be an inquest.

If you repatriate the person who died 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 another country, nor do they seek to apportion blame to a named individual.

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

22. Legal aid

Legal aid is not available for legal representation in Ethiopia, but sometimes it may be given to the poor or other disempowered groups by licensed advocates, legal aid programmes run by professional associations or NGOs, and legal aid clinics. Under certain circumstances, such as a suspicious death, you may wish to use a local lawyer to represent your interests should a trial be necessary. The British Embassy produces a list of English speaking lawyers in Ethiopia.

23. Compensation

The Ethiopian government does not have a comprehensive statutory or administrative scheme for compensating victims of crime. Nevertheless, the idea of compensation to victims of crime does appear in the Ethiopian Criminal Code.

You may wish to consult a local lawyer to advise you how to seek compensation. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office produces a list of English speaking lawyers in Ethiopia to assist you in this case.

See information on UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas.

24. Translation and interpretation

While English is spoken in the main cities, local languages are official languages in their respective regions. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office produces a list of companies providing translation services in Ethiopia.

25. Local support organisations

There are no charitable organisations in Ethiopia which can provide information, support or advice to bereaved families.

26. Support organisations in the UK

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