1. 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.

2. 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.

3. How to contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and 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 5000.

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

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.

4. 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 Jordan and the next of kin is in the UK or abroad, Jordanian authorities normally notify the British Embassy in Amman. We will do whatever we can to trace the next of kin as soon as possible and would ask the UK police to pass on the news. However, you might also be notified about the death directly by someone else, for example a doctor, a social worker or a police officer.

In Jordan, the seniority of next of kin is usually as follows:

• spouse or partner

• adult child (over 18 years old)

• parent

• adult sibling (over 18 years old)

• an adult with sufficient relationship to the deceased

An ex-partner is not regarded as next of kin. Same sex partners or spouses are not recognised under local law or practices as next of kin.

5. 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 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.

6. 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 did not have insurance, the next of kin will usually have to appoint a funeral director and will usually be responsible for all costs. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office cannot help with these costs.

7. 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 you decide to hold a funeral in Jordan, you can find a list of funeral directors in Jordan.

A relative or a formally appointed representative must instruct a local funeral director in Jordan or an international funeral director in the UK for a body to be repatriated to the UK or buried in Jordan. However, if the deceased was insured, you should immediately contact the insurance company to establish if they are able to cover for the repatriation expenses and make the necessary arrangements. You may need the insurance policy number and the associated 24-hour medical emergency contact number to do this. If the travel insurance company confirm that there is a current policy, you should not appoint your own funeral director or be pressurised by the local funeral agencies to do so; it will be the insurance company that will appoint the funeral director, both locally and in the UK.

8. Registering the death and obtaining a death certificate

You will need to register the death with the local authorities in Jordan. A funeral director can do this for you.

If the death occurs in a hospital, the facility will issue a notification of death, which is required to obtain the death certificate. Typically, you will need to provide documents proving your relationship as the next of kin (first-degree relation to the deceased) along with a translated copy of the deceased’s passport, which should include details like full name, date of birth, and passport number.

Death certificates can be obtained from the Jordanian Civil Status and Passports Department. To find out the necessary documents and the procedure for obtaining a death certificate, you can visit the Civil Status and Passports Department website. Jordanian death certificates do not indicate the cause of death and are provided in Arabic. An English version can be obtained upon request, but it will have a different certificate number. You can issue a copy of a previously registered death certificate, further information are available on the Civil Status and Passports Department website.

The local authorities will need to be told if the person suffered from an infectious condition such as hepatitis or HIV so they can take precautions against infection.

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. 

Official working hours at Civil Status and Passports Offices: 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. 

Official working hours at Emergency Service Office at CSPD Main Building/ Tabarbour: (11:00 pm to 7:00 pm Summer time), and (10:00 am to 6:00 pm Winter time), on Fridays, Saturdays, and public holidays (10:00 am to 2:00 pm).

9. Consular death registration

You do not have to register the death of a British national that occurs overseas with the UK authorities. The local death certificate can usually be used in the UK for most purposes, including probate. The local death certificate will be in Arabic; you will need to have it translated into English if you intend to use it in the UK. Please refer to the section on Translation and Interpreters below.

You can apply for a consular death registration; however, this is not mandatory and cannot be used instead of a death certificate issued by the Jordanian authorities. If you wish to do this, you can find more information and apply online

10. Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

Jordanian law requires an autopsy for any death occurring outside a hospital without any religious exceptions. Post-mortem examinations are conducted exclusively in public hospitals and are provided at no cost.

The police will refer a death to the coroner under the following conditions to assess if an investigation is warranted:

• if the death is sudden or unexpected

• if the death is violent, suspicious, or suicide

• if the death is a result of an accident

• if the cause of death is unknown

If the death is referred to a forensic doctor, the family will not be asked for permission to perform an autopsy, because that is required directly from the judiciary. The coroner has the authority to initiate an inquest following an autopsy, during which samples of organs and tissues may be retained until the investigation concludes. In cases where the death is deemed suspicious, these samples may also be held by law enforcement as evidence, potentially for extended durations, ranging from several months to even years. A postmortem examination is performed as early as possible, usually within two or three days of the person’s death. In some cases, it may be possible to perform it within 24 hours after death.

11. Mortuary facilities

Mortuaries are available in all hospitals across Jordan, adhering to international standards. In the event of a death occurring in a hospital, the facility will store the body in the mortuary and notify the next of kin. There is a fee associated with the storage of the body. For public hospitals, the daily charge ranges from 15 to 25 JOD. For private hospitals, the daily fee is between 50 and 80 JOD.

12. Burial, cremation, repatriation

The next of kin of the person who has died will usually need to decide between a local burial 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 arrangements.

Local burial is possible for foreign nationals in Jordan and burials take place in religious burial grounds. Jordanian law does not permit the cremation of remains. There are no religious waivers for this requirement. Jordanian law requires burial within 24 hours of death. You, or a funeral service provider on your behalf, may apply for a permit from the Ministry of Health to extend this time up to 72 hours if the remains are in an appropriate facility. The expense of burial differs based on religion, with Christian burials typically ranging from $900 to $1,000.

The Jordanian local authorities require a letter of no objection from the embassy to authorise repatriation. It is necessary to reach out to the embassy and submit a written consent from the next of kin, confirming the intention to repatriate the deceased.

13. Return of personal belongings

If the person who died had insurance, check with the insurance company if this covers the return of their personal belongings. Personal belongings of the person who died are usually returned to the family. A funeral director can help to return the belongings.

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

14. 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 about what to do when someone dies.

15. 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”.

See the form and instructions on where to send the passport.

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

16. Child deaths

Investigations into suspicious child fatalities are conducted by the Police. In cases where a child passes away shortly after birth and prior to being registered with the Civil Status, the hospital notification will suffice to facilitate the burial process. Typically, children are buried at the Um Al Heiran cemetery at no cost.

17. Deaths in road traffic accidents

Road traffic deaths are investigated by the Police. A post-mortem examination is necessary to determine the cause of death.

18. 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 (FCDO) will be available to provide support, including by referring you to a specialised organisation. You can find more about how the FCDO can help with murder and manslaughter abroad. If the deceased is repatriated to the UK a coroner or procurator fiscal may decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

In Jordan, all homicide cases are submitted to the Major Criminal Court Prosecutor, who initiates an investigation that may extend over several months. Terrorism-related cases are referred to the State Security Prosecutor and are typically resolved expeditiously due to the critical nature of the incidents. If a suspect has been detained but then released, he/she can be re-investigated.

19. 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 will usually only happen 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 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 FCDO guide on death abroad.

20. Legal aid

For legal aid or assistance, please refer to the list of lawyers.

21. Compensation

There is no government compensation scheme available in Jordan.

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

22. Translation and interpretation

The official language in Jordan is Arabic. English is quite widely spoken. You can find a list of translators here if you need one.

22.1 Support organisations in the UK

In the UK, there are many organisations that can help bereaved families. Some of these are listed in the guidance on what to do when someone dies abroad.