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Guidance

WhenWhat someoneto do after a British national dies in Gabon

The

This processguide whengives advice about the death of a British nationalperson dies in Gabon, including registeringinformation theon death,burial, funeralscremation and cremations, and bringing the person’s body to the UK. repatriation.

From:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
1 October 2019
Last updated
1120 DecemberJuly 20252023 — See all updates

Documents

WhenWhat someoneto do if a British national dies in Gabon

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Contacting the insurance companyIntroduction

IfWhen thea personrelative whoor diedfriend haddies insurance,abroad, contactthe theirdifferent insuranceprocedures, companylaws asor soonlanguage ascan possible.cause Readadditional thedistress. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/what-to-do-after-a-british-national-dies-abroadYou ifmay you’rebe notuncertain sureabout ifwhat theyto haddo insurance.or who to contact.

TheThis insurancecountry-specific companyinformation shouldis appointdesigned ato funeralhelp directoryou inthrough Gabonsome andof the UK.practical Theyarrangements you may alsoneed coverto make. It supplements the costgeneral ofinformation bringingon death abroad produced by the person’sForeign, bodyCommonwealth & Development Office, which applies to theall UKcountries.

Please (repatriation)note, andas helpeach withcountry anyhas medical,its legal,own interpretationlaws and translationcustoms fees.when a death occurs, it may not be possible to make the arrangements that you prefer, or at the time you would like.

RegisteringHow to contact the deathForeign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

ToThere declareis a deathlot inof Gaboninformation andbelow, obtainbut ayou deathmay certificate,still you’llhave needquestions. informationYou andcan documentsspeak aboutto someone by phone 24/7, any day of the personyear whoby hascontacting died,the includingFCDO their:in London on 0207 008 5000.

  • full

    If names

  • datesyou ofare birth
  • officialnot identityin documentthe (forUK, exampleyou theircan find the contact details of the nearest British passport)
  • passportembassy, high commission or consulate online

    The priority of the personFCDO is to assist British nationals overseas who died

  • need the causemost help. The level and type of deathassistance certificatethey –can offer is tailored to the hospitalindividual wherecircumstances of each case.

    Next of kin

    The next of kin of the person who died will usually issuesneed thisto withinmake adecisions week

  • theand post-mortempractical reportarrangements. ifThe thenext of kin can sometimes appoint another person diedto outsideact aon hospital
their behalf.

Further,If you are not the next of kin, they need to followbe theseinformed. stepsIf accordingrequired, tothe officialFCDO information:
Wherecan help you to makedo this.

There is no legal definition of next of kin in the declaration?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.

TheThere deathis declarationno mustlegal requirement in Gabon for a death to be maderegistered atby the civilnext statusof serviceskin. ofHowever, a death is usually registered by the townNOK, hallwho will take care of theall placenecessary procedures in Gabon. The services of death.an international undertaker are normally necessary to help with these arrangements if you wish to repatriate the body to the UK.

DocumentsRelease of information to provide:next of kin

  1. death

    The certificateFCDO issuedwill bytry ato doctorobtain as much information as possible after your relative or healthfriend facility.

  2. copyhas died abroad, but it can be a bureaucratic and slow process in Gabon. Some of this information may be only available to next of kin, and the identityfuneral carddirector appointed in Gabon is in the best place to gather information on your behalf. The Honorary Consul, with support from Consular officers in Cameroon, may be able to obtain these themselves, or birththey certificatemay be able to provide you with details of others who can advocate on your behalf such as lawyers, charities, or other organisations.

    Insurance

    It is very important to check if the deceased.

  3. copyperson ofwho died had insurance; if the identityanswer cardis yes, contact the insurance company as soon as possible. They may have a list of approved funeral directors or be able to cover some of the declarantcosts.

    If (thethe person makingwho died did not have insurance, the declaration).

Whonext canof declarekin will usually have to appoint a death?

funeral director and will usually be responsible for all costs. The FCDO cannot help with these costs.

  • Appointing a relativefuneral ofdirector

    If theyou deceased.

  • anydecide personto withbring accuratethe informationdeceased aboutto the civilUK statusfor the funeral or cremation, you may only need to appoint an international funeral director. The FCDO produces a list of international funeral directors based in the deceased.
  • UK.

    If you decide to hold a funeral in caseGabon, you can find a list of deathlocal infuneral directors on GOV.UK - Find a hospital,funeral hotel,director orabroad. public/privateIt establishment,is the declarationnext canof bekin’s maderesponsibility byto theappoint and instruct a funeral director as soon as possible after being notified of the establishment.

  • fordeath, militaryby personnel,making thedirect declarationcontact iswith madethem. byOnce the unitfuneral commander,director excepthas inthe specialnext cases.

Issuanceof kin’s signed authority to proceed, they will liaise with Gabon authorities to organise funeral arrangements, burial or repatriation and assist with the issuing of the deceased’s death certificate:

certificate.

OncePayment thefor declarationthese arrangements is madea private agreement between the next of kin and the documentsfuneral provided,director. Services offered vary from agency to agency so we would recommend that you make enquiries with different funeral directors to find the civilone statuswho servicescan issuebest anassist officialyou. deathIf certificate.

Post-mortemsthe inperson Gabon

  1. Medicalwho Certification:

    • ifdied had insurance, the deathinsurance occurscompany inwill a hospital,appoint a deaththeir certificate or medicalown report isinternational issuedor bylocal undertaker. You should not enter into an arrangement with an undertaker without speaking to the attendinginsurance physician.company first.

    • ifThe local funeral director may liaise with the deathfuneral occurs atdirector home,in the municipalthe hygieneUK. service issuesPlease anote certificatethat basedto onsign consent and give instructions to a declarationfuneral fromdirector in Gabon, the neighborhoodnext chief.of kin does not need to be physically in country and may keep in direct contact with the funeral director via telephone or email.

  2. AutopsyFuneral (ifdirectors required):in Gabon

    • autopsiesCoffins areand typicallycontainers orderedthat bycomply judicialwith authoritiesinternational standards are available in casesGabonese of suspiciousfuneral orhomes:

      1. unexplainedGABOSEP
      Av. deaths.Monseigneur Bessieux
      Libreville
      GABON
      BP : 1155
      (+241)01720722
      (+241)01 76 07 23
      Fax : (+241) 01 77 22 96

theygabosepp@gmail.com

2. areSAAF
Carrefour conductedSOGATOL inà authorizedcoté medicalde facilitiesla andMairie maydu require5ème familyArrondissement,
Libreville
GABON
BP: consent15623
(+241) unless01 mandated77 by58 law.

38

Please 3. note:CASEPGA
Zone Theindustrielle Foreign,d’Oloumi, Commonwealthface &à Developmentla OfficeDirection (FCDO)Générale isde notla ableDocumentation toet coverde thel’Immigration
Libreville
Gabon
BP: cost14189
(+241) of01 a77 post-mortem.

49 49
(+241) 07 88 94 43
Fax: (+241) 01 77 48 48

ProcedureRegistering forthe Bodydeath Transfer and Burial

  1. Documentsobtaining Required:

    • a death certificate

      In orGabon, medicalwhen report

    • officialcertifying deatha certificatedeath, (acteit deis décès)
      • mandatory to contact:

      • burialFuneral permitdirectors (permisin d’inhumer)
      • authorizationorder forto preserve the body transferand (ifprovide applicable)a funeral pass;
      • embalmingThe reportTown (procès-verbalHall dein miseorder ento bière)establish the death certificate;

Steps:

  • obtainThe allMinistry necessaryof documentsForeign fromAffairs the townvia hall and funeralthe home.

    Directorate of Consular Affairs for the translation of death certificates and other necessary documents;

  • The Police, if theapplicable;

  • The bodyHonorary isConsul tofor bethe transportedestablishment (domesticallyof ora internationally),letter obtainaddressed ato mortuarythe pass orMinistry transferof authorization fromthe Interior authorising the Ministrytransfer of the Interior.

    remains;

  • finalThe approvalMinistry andof signaturesthe areInterior obtainedfor from the Policeissuance Prefecture andof Ministrya ofdocument named ‘definitive authorization’ to transfer the Interior 

    body.

###The Specialdeath Cases:

  • forwill internationalneed repatriation,to an embassybe authorization isregistered alsowith required.

Buryingthe orGabonese crematingCivil theRegistration bodyOffice; inthe Gabon

YouNOK needcan anormally localdo funeralthis. director: FindThey awill professionalneed servicethe abroadpassport -of Resultsthe forperson Funeralwho Directorshas indied, gabon toand arrangeto aknow burialwhat ortheir cremationmarital instatus Gabon.and  Yourparents’ funeralnames directorwere. They will usuallyalso beneed able to explainbe informed if the optionsperson availablesuffered andfrom an infectious condition such as COVID-19, hepatitis or HIV, so the costs,local andauthorities helpcan youtake plan.precautions against infection.

Bringing

Please note that the bodyregistration toprocedures may take some time. If there has been a post-mortem examination, the UK

Askcause yourof funeraldeath directormight aboutnot optionsbe known for bringingsome months and the person’spost-mortem bodyreport towill not be released until the UKend fromof Gabon.the inquiry.

WhenThe takinglocal thedeath person’scertificate bodycan tousually be used in the UK fromfor Gabon,most purposes, including probate. As the death certificate will be in french, you will need:

  • need to obtain and pay for an official translation. The funeral agent can obtain copies of the death certificate issuedand byprovide the Gaboneseofficial civiltranslations registryfor oryou. hospital.

  • embalmingYou certificatedo confirmingnot need to register the bodydeath haswith beenthe embalmedUK toauthorities. internationalYou standards

  • non-contagiouscan diseasesometimes certificateapply certifyingfor thata theconsular deceaseddeath didregistration. This is not diemandatory 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 contagiousdeath diseaseand apply online.

  • Post mortem examinations (autopsies)

    sealedAutopsies coffinare certificateusually confirmingonly performed when the coffincause of death is hermeticallysuspicious. sealedThis foris airthe transportcase when complaints from relatives or other reliable sources suggest an unnatural death such as suicide or murder.

  • authorisationIt forshould bodybe exportnoted issuedthat byit the Ministryis often difficult to obtain autopsy reports. This is usually done at the request of the Interior orPolice, relevantthe GaboneseCourt authority

  • consularand/or authorization,a legal representative. However, even in such circumstances, the embassyautopsy ormay consulatenot be performed due to a lack of thequalified destinationor countryavailable mustmedical approvepersonnel in the repatriationhospital concerned.

TheIt bodyshould mustalso be embalmednoted andthat placedthe level of autopsies performed in metalGabon casketis tolower than in the United Kingdom. In most cases, it will be broughtpreferable to thehave UK. an Embalmingautopsy usuallydone takesin placethe afterUK post-mortem.once the body is repatriated.

Bringing

In the ashesevent toof an autopsy performed, the UK

AskBritish yourHonorary funeralConsul directorin aboutGabon may request a copy of the rulesreport; foralthough bringingthis ashesprocess tocan be very lengthy and does not always allow for the UK.report.

ArrangingMortuary forfacilities

The thedeceased asheswill tonormally be takenheld toat a local hospital morgue. However, you should be aware that storage facilities could vary depending on the UKpart of the country, and in many places are significantly worse than the standard you would expect in the UK.

IfThere it is notno possiblemaximum retention period for youremains prior to transportburial.

Burial, thecremation, ashesrepatriation

Cremation yourself,services are not yet available at GABON.

Currently, to perform a funeralcremation, directorit will be ablenecessary to makehave the necessaryremains arrangements.transferred to Cameroon to Yaoundé (General Hospital, Military Hospital, Engineering-Obstetrics Hospital) or Douala (General Hospital).

The FCDOashes providesare collected in a listsmall of UK-basedbag, placed in a hardwood box and welded to facilitate their repatriation.

The international funeral directorshome -“Fun GOV.UKservice Belgium” has a branch in Yaoundé, Cameroon. They are able to repatriate the ashes to the United Kingdom.

GettingReturn theof person’spersonal belongings back

Personal belongings are normally returned to the family by the authorities. If the family is outside Gabon, the authorities may hand them over to a designated person in Gabon (usually a friend or family member) or to the British Honorary Consul who will make an inventory of the items and await further instructions from the family of the deceased.

The FCDO cannotPlease helpnote: with the costBritish ofHigh returningCommission cannot take responsibility or become involved in storing, collecting or forwarding personal belongingsbelongings. If legal assistance is required, you can find a list of local lawyers on GOV.UK - Find a lawyer abroad.

Steps to take in the family.

UK

TheYou Britishcan Highfind Commissionmore ininformation Gabonon cannotthe steps to take responsibilityin forthe UK on GOV.UK - When someone dies. This guide includes information on arranging the personalfuneral, belongingstelling the government about the death, UK pensions and benefits, and dealing with the estate of the person who died.

FindingBritish Passport cancellation

To avoid identity fraud, the passport of the person who died should be cancelled with His Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). Instructions on how to do this and where to send the passport are available on GOV.UK - What to do with a Gabonpassport lawyerwhen the passport holder has died.

YouIf you plan to repatriate the person who died to the UK, you may needrequire atheir lawyerpassport to helpdo this. In these circumstances, you understandshould only cancel the Gabonpassport legalafter systemthey whenhave someonebeen hasrepatriated.

Deaths died. investigated Checkas Findmurder or manslaughter

If the local police have confirmed that they are investigating the death as a professionalmurder serviceor abroadmanslaughter, -a Finddedicated team within the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will be available to provide support and refer you to a lawyerspecialised abroadorganisation. You can find more information on GOV.UK..

You Theshould Britishnote Highthat Commissionif inthe Gabondeceased cannotis giverepatriated youto legalthe adviceUK, a coroner or payprocurator forfiscal legalmight costs.decide to hold an inquest. See the section on UK Coroners and inquests below.

TellingUK thecoroners UKand authoritiesinquests

AlthoughIf you dorepatriate notthe haveperson who died abroad to registerEngland theand deathWales, 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 thecertain UK,situations, for example, when someone dieshas abroaddied in suspicious or violent circumstances or whilst in detention. If the person who died was cremated and only their ashes are brought to the UK, there will not be an inquest.

If you stillrepatriate needthe person who died to tellScotland, the UKProcurator authorities. Fiscal Readmay Whatdecide 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 whennot someonehave diesjurisdiction abroadin -another GOV.UKcountry, nor do they seek to apportion blame to a named individual. You can find outmore whatinformation toin do.the FCDO guide on death abroad.

ContactingLegal Aid

There is no legal aid available in Gabon. Some local lawyers will take pro-bono cases, but they would decide this depending on the Foreign,merits Commonwealthof &the Developmentcase. OfficePlease (FCDO)find further information on GOV.UK - Find a lawyer abroad.

Compensation

You can contactfind the FCDO ifinformation youon stillGOV.UK needabout advice:UK compensation for victims of terrorism overseas. There is no local government compensation scheme in Gabon.

(part of the guide ‘What to do when someone dies’)

Updates

What to thisdo page

Publishedafter 1a OctoberBritish 2019
Lastnational updateddies 11abroad

Coping Decemberwith 2025 International allfuneral updates"directors href="#full-history">+based showin allthe updatesUK

Published 1 October 2019
Last updated 20 July 2023 + show all updates

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Update history

2025-12-11 12:27
The whole document has been reviewed to reflect the current situation.

2023-07-20 08:36
The information in this document has been reviewed in full and republished.