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United Arab Emirates – Bereavement

Information.

Prepared by British Embassy Abu Dhabi

November 2019

Disclaimer This information is not meant to be definitive, nor is it to be taken as a substitute for independent legal advice. Neither Her 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 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 and Commonwealth Office, which applies to all countries (www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-death-abroad). 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. How to contact the Foreign and Commonwealth 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 and Commonwealth Office in London on +44 207 008 1500. If you are not in the UK, you can find the contact details of the nearest British Embassy, high commission or consulate online www.gov.uk/government/world/embassies.

If the death occurred outside of usual working hours, you are able to contact the British Embassy on the 24 hour number (+971 2 610 1100). Please note that UAE Government Offices are closed on Friday and Saturday and during local bank holidays. They do not offer an emergency/out-of-hours service.

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Table of Contents Essential Information .................................................................................................................... 3

1. Next Of Kin ............................................................................................................................ 3

2. Release of Information to next of kin ................................................................................. 3

3. Insurance ............................................................................................................................... 3

4. Appointing a funeral director ............................................................................................... 3

5. Registering the death and obtaining the death certificate .............................................. 4

6. Burial, Cremation and Repatriation ................................................................................... 4

7. Mortuary facilities and Post Mortem examinations (autopsies) ..................................... 6

8. Return of personal belongings ........................................................................................... 7

9. Steps to take in the UK ........................................................................................... 7

Further Information ............................................................................................................ 7

10. Child deaths .......................................................................................................................... 7

11. Deaths in road traffic accidents ............................................................................... 8

12. Deaths investigated as murder or manslaughter............................................................. 8

13. UK coroners and inquests ................................................................................................... 8

14. Legal Aid ................................................................................................................................ 8

Additional Support............................................................................................................................ 8

15. Translations and Interpretation .......................................................................................... 8

16. Local support organisations ................................................................................................ 9

Annex A – Next of Kin Authorisation Form .......................................................................... 10

Annex B – List of Funeral Directors in Dubai ....................................................................... 11

Feedback Form for Funeral Directors ................................................................................... 12

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Essential Information 1. 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 and Commonwealth 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 you have any uncertainty on next of kin please call us at the embassy, for example if you’re in a same sex marriage or unsure of who would be next of kin.

2. Release of Information to next of kin

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office will try to obtain as much information as possible after your relative or friend has died abroad. Some of this may will only be available to next of kin. Consular officers may be able to obtain this themselves, or put you in touch directly with the authorities overseas. They can provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities, or other organisations. Access to information concerning a death can be restricted until a Coroner has reviewed the evidence and a case has been concluded. During this time it can be hard to get information but we can try.

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 as they might 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 and Commonwealth Office cannot help with these costs. Once the next of kin have decided how they wish to proceed, there are certain local procedures to be followed. If the person worked in the UAE or were here on business, their employer will usually take the actions necessary to comply with these procedures. They will also be able to provide details on the person’s insurance. If the deceased was here on a temporary basis, it is usual for their travel insurance company to take any necessary actions and the company should be informed immediately. Quite often, a local agent is appointed to act on their behalf as they are knowledgeable in local procedures.

4. 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 and Commonwealth produces a list of international funeral directors. Please see a list of UK-based international funeral directors and related industry bodies on the website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-funeral-directors-in-the-uk. If you are unsure about this then please don’t hesitate to contact the Embassy as quite often, the person’s insurance company will be able to arrange this.

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If you decide to hold a funeral or cremation in the UAE you can find a list of funeral directors in Annex B and more information on this is under point 6 of this document.

5. Registering the death and obtaining the death certificate

There is a requirement to register the death with local authorities in the country where the person died. Sometimes a funeral director can do this for you. We have included more details on this and on how to obtain a death certificate under point 6 of this document. Please note that there is no requirement for a consular death registration to be completed for any death that has occurred overseas. The original Death Certificate issued by the authorities in the country in which the death took place, along with a notarised translation if necessary, is sufficient for all purposes in the UK. If you wish to complete a consular death registration, you can receive a UK-style death registration document, and a permanent copy of it will always be available in English from the General Register Office in the UK. It can also be used for reasons of Probate. Registrations are made through the Overseas Registration Unit in the UK. Full details of how to do so are available at www.gov.uk/register-a-death.

6. Burial, Cremation and Repatriation

If you require the deceased to be buried or cremated in Dubai and they passed away in a different Emirate, please inform us immediately, transportation between the Emirates may be restricted. In Abu Dhabi, cremation and burial are options for those holding a valid visit visa or a residence visa. We have included more information on this below but please call the Embassy or speak to the funeral company for more guidance. In the UAE it can be a complicated process when a bereavement occurs. Below is the summary of procedures:

a. If the deceased died at home, contact the local police station.

b. Obtain the Death Notification from the hospital.

c. Obtain Death Registration letter from police and “No Objection “letter for release of body.

d. Proceed to Mortuary.

e. Collect the death certificate from the mortuary/hospital where the deceased’s body is being held. The following documents will be required:

Deceased person’s passport, including visa page with cancelled visa;

Photographic ID of yourself;

Death notification from hospital;

Police registration letter.

Only the next of kin is able to do this or a person acting on the instructions of the next of kin e.g. a funeral director.

f. Obtain the Ministry of Health stamp and signature on the death certificate.

g. Take the death certificate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for attestation. Infinity Services on Lower Level 2 of Marina Mall will do this for you. They are open from 8am until 6pm and can be contacted on + 971 2 681 1644.

h. If the deceased was a resident then the employer/sponsor will need to cancel the residence visa at Abu Dhabi Naturalisation and Residency Directorate located on 19th Street, Abu Dhabi.

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i. Call the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi on +971 2 610 1100 to make an appointment for a No Objection Letter. We will require:

The local Death Certificate (attested by the MFA).

The deceased’s original passport.

Power of attorney /authorisation form from the next of kin, if someone other than the next of kin is attending the embassy i.e , funeral director or other (Form attached at the rear of this document)

The next of kin’s passport.

The deceased’s passport will be cancelled by the Embassy and returned to the next of kin.

j. Return to Police station to obtain a Letter of No Objection. The original local Death certificate, the deceased’s passport and the No Objection Letter from the British Embassy will be required. The police will provide you with a copy and original of their own Letter of No Objection, which will authorise the release of the deceased to the person named in the letter.

k. For burial in Abu Dhabi (Baniyas) you will need to present the Embassy letter and a request for burial from the deceased’s next of kin.

l. For repatriation, you will need:

Original no objection letter from the Embassy;

Death Certificate;

Death Notification;

Deceased’s Passport;

Funeral Director’s letter of agreement to receive the body on arrival at its destination if the next of kin is not travelling with the body;

Flight booking confirmation from Airline;

To pay for the embalming procedure.

m. For Cremation you will need (with Arabic translations):

Original letter of no objection from the Embassy;

Original Death Certificate;

Death Notification;

Hospital medical report.

n. In addition you will need a special letter from the local police stating that they have no objections to cremations. This letter will be addressed to Al Ain Police.

o. All of the documents will need to be taken firstly to the Police Department in Al Ain to obtain an approval letter for cremation addressed to the Municipality and the Mortuary. This should then be taken to the Municipality to submit a request for cremation permit.

Burial

Christian burials can take place at Baniyas in Abu Dhabi and Al Foah cemetery in Al Ain.

You will need to take the local death certificate and the no objection letter from the Embassy, as well as the deceased’s passport showing their cancelled visa to the mortuary, and advise them of the time and date of the burial. Christians of any denomination can contact St Andrew’s Church (+971 50 534 1239). They are able to undertake the administration and signpost you as required. For pastoral support you may like to contact the Ministers at St Joseph’s Cathedral (+ 971 2 446 1929) for Roman Catholic Support or St Andrew’s Church (+971 2 446 1631) for Anglican support. For a Muslim burial, the next of kin will need to take their passport to the police, who will issue a burial

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permit. This is required to access the burial ground located at Baniyas. You will also need a no objection letter from the Embassy.

Cremation

Cremation in Abu Dhabi is only available to non-Muslims who have Abu Dhabi residence visas or a tourist visa issued in Abu Dhabi. The crematorium is located at Al Foah Cemetery in Al Ain (Tel: +971 56 737 3618). Cremation is also available for Dubai visa holders at Sonapur, Jebel Ali, Dubai. This facility is owned and managed by the Hindu community, who are kindly allowing other faiths to use it. This facility is used mainly for Hindu ceremonies and the decor and manner of the cremation reflects this. Arrangements should be made through Regal Traders Dubai (+971 4 888 0192) who are open Saturday to Thursday 9am to 1pm and 4pm to 8pm. If you wish to make enquiries outside of these times, you can contact Mr Sunil on +971 50 507 1640. Please note that this option is not possible for children under 7. Ashes can be taken back to the UK on-board the flight as hand luggage or in a suitcase in a special unsealed box. Repatriation

Before repatriation the deceased will be embalmed, as this is an international requirement. International regulations require zinc-lined coffins to be used for repatriations and the dressing of the deceased is not normally allowed. A temporary shroud will be provided by the hospital and very simple zinc-lined coffins can also be obtained at a fee. Please note that someone will be required to identify the deceased before and after embalming. This can be the agent or nominated representative. Contact should be made with an airline in Abu Dhabi and with a firm of Funeral Directors in the United Kingdom. The UK Funeral Director’s contact details will be required by the cargo agency handling the repatriation of the deceased. Once the Funeral Director confirms his involvement (usually through a fax to the carrier), he will be given a bill of loading number and details of the flight to the UK. The UAE based Funeral Directors listed at the end of this document can offer further advice on repatriation of the deceased to the UK or other countries. The Embassy will need to prepare a no objection letter. This will be issued upon presenting the original, attested local death certificate, along with an English translation and the deceased’s passport.

7. Mortuary facilities and Post Mortem examinations (autopsies)

These are carried out only in certain circumstances, usually if the death occurred in suspicious circumstances or if the cause of death is not apparent. Any death outside a hospital will be referred to the police who will arrange for an examination. Following this the deceased will be released only on the permission of the prosecutor’s office. A final report will be available to the family upon completion of both the post mortem and the investigation into the circumstances of the death. A copy of the report can be obtained from the prosecutor’s office.

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There are three mortuaries in Abu Dhabi, all are well equipped with modern storage facilities:

Sheikh Khalifa Hospital

Al Mafraq Hospital

Al Rahba Hospital

8. Return of personal belongings

Any personal belongings of the deceased can only be returned to the next of kin upon completion of police enquiries and all local procedures. Personal belongings are usually transported to next of kin or families via local agents or commercial courier companies if the family does not travel to the UAE to collect the belongings themselves. Most courier/shipping companies will transport household goods, clothing’s and similar property. We have been informed that the following courier companies will transport items of value and payment must be made by wire transfer:

FedEx +971 800 33339

UPS +971 800 4774

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

9. 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 www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies.

Further Information 10. Child deaths

Children can be cremated in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi at any age, including foetal death, can be cremated in Abu Dhabi at a facility in Al Ain. The documentation procedure is exactly the same as for an adult. Depending on the age of the child and if they do not already have a British passport, you may need a travel document (Emergency Passport or Emergency Travel Document). A funeral director can advise further on this and please contact the British Embassy Abu Dhabi for advice. If you do need a travel document, please speak to the British Embassy, as the following

documents may be required:

a. Death Notification/Certificate, attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

b. Birth Notification/Certificate (if applicable), attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

c. Parent’s full UK Birth Certificate(s)/Naturalisation or Registration Certificates.

d. Parent’s passports (British and/or non-British).

e. Parent’s Marriage Certificate.

f. If the parents were born in the 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.

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g. The British Embassy will then contact colleagues in London to determine nationality of the child. Once we have this we can issue the travel document.

11. Deaths in road traffic accidents

In the case of a road accident, the police will lead investigation under the supervision and instructions of the Prosecutor. Once the investigation is complete the family may seek the Prosecutor’s permission to take a copy of the medical report, and in the case of a car accident, a copy of the police report. After the police investigation, the prosecutor will decide whether further inquiries are necessary, or whether to submit the case to the court for a trail to take place. The court will then decide how the case will proceed.

12. 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 and Commonwealth Office will be available to provide support, including by referring you to specialised organisations. You can find more about what they can do online. More information on this can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/helping-britishpeople-abroad-murder-and-manslaughter. In the case of a suspicious death the process will be the same as deaths in road traffic accidents under point 11.

13. 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 Her Majesty’s Coroner. Please note, an inquest will 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 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 and Commonwealth Office guide on Death Abroad (www.gov.uk/government/publications/coping-with-death-abroad).

14. Legal Aid

There is no legal Aid available in the UAE, however a list of local lawyers who can help you if you require legal advice can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-arab-emirates-list-of-lawyers

Additional Support 15. Translations and Interpretation

Arabic is the official language in the UAE, however English is widely spoken. Most local authorities and organisations will have English and Arabic speakers. The death certificate will

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be issued in Arabic but there is the option to have an English version prepared as well as for repatriation and insurance purposes. This must be done by a legal translator. If you face any problems please call us.

Local support organisations

If you or someone you know would like more support in Abu Dhabi, grief counselling is available.

Footprints in the Sand UAE Website: Footprints in the Sand is an online community that offers companionship, comfort and support to anyone who has experienced the tragic loss of a baby, through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death. The group offers a variety of avenues, from one-to-one email conversations, instant messenger service and coffee meet-ups.

American Centre for Psychiatry & Neurology Al Rawda Area The Intersection of 11th & 26th Street. After French Embassy. Tel: + 971 2 697 9999 Email: info@americancenteruae.com Website: www.americancenteruae.com ACPN is a premier medical facility focusing on providing you with the highest quality premium and specialised medical care and health education services. Your wellbeing is their priority. Adult services cover a wide range of interventions from counselling for personal and emotional problems to psychotherapy with severe and complex mental health problems. They also offer child services.

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Annex A – Next of Kin Authorisation Form

To British Embassy Abu Dhabi,

I hereby certify that Mr/Mrs/Ms ……………………………………………………..

British Passport Number …………………………………………………………………………

Date of Birth …………………………………………………………………………

Date of Death …………………………………………………………………………

Place of Death …………………………………………………………………………

Is my …………………………………………………………………………

I have no objection to the cremation/burial/repatriation of the above named person, provided the local authorities also have no objection. I further authorise ……………………………………… holder of ….………………….. Passport number.…………………………… to request all documentation and conduct all procedures on my behalf. I declare that I am the Next of Kin of the above named person and the information given is true to the best of my personal knowledge and belief. Yours faithfully,

Name (as in passport):

Nationality:

Passport Number:

Telephone Number:

Email Address:

Date:

*Are you happy to be contacted to provide feedback about our service? Yes □ No □

*Your preferred means of contact? Phone □ Email □

*In order to have feedback on ways in which we can improve our service we would like to share your details with our partner research agency. We will provide them with your date of birth, email address, telephone number and the reason you contacted us. They may then make contact with you to obtain your feedback. If you change your mind you can withdraw your consent at any stage.

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Annex B – List of Funeral Directors in Dubai

Updated: November 2019 This list is in alphabetical order.

Al Foah Funeral Services Villa 367 10th Street, Al Bahiya, Abu Dhabi Tel: +971 56 737 3618/ 050 362 7878 Website: www.alfoahfuneralservices.com Email: donrup10@eim.ae This company has told us the following things:

They have English speaking staff.

Members of Association on Funeral Directors U.K and also a member of I.C.C.M.

They are affiliated to the health authorities and municipality.

Staff speak Arabic, English.

Specialisations are in cremation, repatriation and burial.

They have experience representing British Nationals.

Areas/regions of the country they provide services for: All Emirates (but there are restrictions on cremations in some Emirates and laws may differ from one Emirate to another).

GRAFCO (Gulf Global Repatriations Air Ambulance MT Funeral Services Middle East), P O Box

50200, Dubai Telephone: +971 4 335 0492, Fax: +971 4 282 0523, Mob: +971 50 6544378 Hotline Mobile: +971 50 9201893 Website: www.grafcome.com Email info@grafcome.com Contact: John Korah, Managing Director This company has told us the following things:

They have English speaking staff. Specialisations are in medical evacuation, repatriation, cremation and burial. They have experience of representing British nationals. Staff speak Arabic, English and Hindi. They can offer repayment plans. Areas/regions of the country they provide services for: All Emirates (but there are restrictions on

cremations in some Emirates and laws may differ from one Emirate to another).

Middle East Assistance, Office M1 Al Ashram Building, Deira Fish R/A, Omar Bin Al Kattab Street, P O Box 111474, Dubai Office Tel No: +971 4 273 0313 Email: info@meassistance.ae Mr. Vivian Albertyn: +971 50 4941624 (24 hours), Email: vivian@meassistance.ae Mr. Mahadeer Mohamed: +971 50 4277145, Email: info@meassistance.ae This company has told us the following things:

They have English speaking staff.

They are affiliated to and have extensive experience with dealing with local authorities for over 10 years.

Specialisations are in repatriation, cremation and burial.

They have experience of representing British nationals.

Staff speak Arabic, English, Hindi and Urdu.

Areas/regions of the country they provide services for: UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait

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Feedback Form for Funeral Directors

If you do decide to use any of the companies on this list, we would like to hear from you. While there is no obligation on your part to provide feedback on the services you receive, any feedback you can give us is helpful. Once completed, please return the form to the Embassy by post to British Embassy Abu Dhabi, POBox 248, Al Hisn Street, Abu Dhabi, UAE or by email to Consular.UAE@fco.gov.uk. An electronic version of the form is available on our website

(https://www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-abu-dhabi ). Thank you for your help. Company: Date of contact: Are any of the details on our list regarding this provider wrong (e.g. address, telephone number, etc.)?

Do you have any other comments?

We would like to share this information with other customers but if you would prefer it not to be seen by others please tick the box □

Please circle the appropriate boxes below: If the service provided English speaking services, how would you rate the standard of English? Excellent Good Average Poor Very Poor

How would you rate the professionalism of the staff? Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

How would you rate the overall service received? Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

Feedback provider’s name:

Tel. No.:

Email:

Date: