Death of a U.S. Citizen

Home Página principal | U.S. Citizen Services | Death of a U.S. Citizen

In the event of the death of an U.S. citizen in Angola, please contact the U.S. Embassy. If no family members are present, the Consular Section will contact the next of kin in the U.S. The Consular Section can assist family members in making arrangements for the disposition of the remains. Please be advised that no U.S. government funds are available to cover any of the expenses involved. We will also issue a Consular Report of Death Abroad, which is an official document that can be used in the U.S. to settle all legal matters relating to the deceased’s estate and insurance. In order to issue a Consular Report of Death, an Angolan Death Certificate is required. For more information on Death Abroad access the State Department website.

If the family wishes to send the remains to the United States, please be aware that the process for preparing and returning remains to the U.S. is complex and may be expensive. The family of the deceased is responsible for all costs. For more information please check the Disposition of Remains Report for Angola below.

Please see below or click here for a list of funeral homes (PDF 190 KB)

Please ask the funeral home not to make any arrangements regarding disposition of remains until it receives instructions from the family or the Embassy.

The following general information is provided to assist families in making initial decisions. Indicated costs are estimates, based on deaths with no unusual circumstances, and should be considered as guides only. See below or click the link.

Disposition of Remains (updated August, 2023)

Agência Funerária São João

Address: 230 R Cónego Manuel das Neves
Tell: (+244) 222 448 703
Cell: (+244) 912 509 501
Cell: (+244)923 509 013
Email: afuneráriasaojoao@yahoo.com.br
Lobito, Benguela Province (+244) 272-222-366
Email: afunerariasaojoao@supernet.ao

Agência Funerário Estrela D’Alva

Address: Loja 1- R da Brigada, #296-B, Bairro Rangel
Loja 2- Largo da Tourada, Calemba
Tel: (+244) 222 388 892
Cell: (+244) 926 997 795; 923 997 795

Agência Funerária Muxima

Address: Loja 1- Rua Hochi Min, Bairro Militar, Luanda
Loja 2- Viana, Projecto Morar, Luanda
Tel: (+244) 222 326 079
Cell: (+244) 933 686 733; 923 895 610
Email: organizaçõesmuxima@gmail.com
Website: https://muximafuneraria.blogspot.com/

REMARK:

Some private companies operating in Angola contract PANALPINA to do the disposition of the remains of their employees. PANALPINA is located at Av. 21 de Janeiro #2, Bairro Cassenda, Luanda; TEL: (+244) 222-352-781/3274/3236; FAX: (+244) 222-354-012; MOBILE: (+244) 926-373-480; www.panalpina.com

Disposition of Remains Report

Post Profile:

Address: Rua Presidente Houari Boumedienne #32, Miramar
Luanda-Angola
Tel: (+244) 222-641-000, (+244) 946 440-977/78/79/80/81/82
Email: consularluanda@state.gov
Website: https://ao.usembassy.gov/

Consular Report of Death Abroad:

A Consular Report of Death Abroad is an administrative document that provides essential facts about the death, disposition of remains, and custody of the personal estate of a deceased U.S. citizen. It is generally used in legal proceedings in the United States as proof of death.
The U.S Embassy prepares a Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRODA) for every civilian U.S. citizen who dies in Angola. This certificate is based on the Angolan death certificate and is valid for use in the United States.

To request the issuance of the Report, please send the following documents to the U.S. Embassy in Luanda: U.S. passport and the original death report.

Twenty copies of the Consular Report of Death Abroad will be mailed to the next-of-kin, at the time of death, free of charge. If in the future additional copies are needed, they can be obtained for a fee of $50 per copy. For details on how to make a request, please visit the State Department’s travel site.

Profile of Services Available:

The following general information is provided to assist families in making initial decisions.  Indicated costs are estimates, based on deaths with no unusual circumstances, and should be considered as guides only. The Angolan Government regulations regarding the disposition of remains are as follows:

  • Maximum period before burial:

Angolan law states that, if the body is not embalmed, must be buried within 24 hours.

  • Embalming and storage of remains:

The remains may be stored at the following clinic and hospital:

Clinica Sagrada Esperança

Address: Ave. Mortala Mohamed nº 298, Ilha de Luanda
Call Center: (+244) 923 167-950 emergency service 24/24 hours
Email: geral@cse.co.ao
Webpage: http://www.clinicasagradaesperanca.co.ao/

Cinica Girassol

Address: Ave. Revolução de Outobro, Bairro Mártires de Kifangondo, Maianga-Luanda
Tel: (+244) 226-698-000; 226-698-416; 226-698-404; 226-698-457
Website: www.clinicagirassol.co.ao
Email: marketing@clinicagirassol.co.ao

Clinica Espirito Santo

Address: Rua da Liberdade #15 Vila Alice, Luanda
Tel: (+244) 222-321-608; 222-328-243; 222-329-434; 222-324-135
Cell: (+244) 912-792-752; 923-423-131: 991-423-131
Email: info@clinica.espiritosanto.com; recepcao@clinicaespiritosanto.com
Website: http://clinicaespiritosanto.com/

Public Hospital- Josina Machel

Address: Rua do 1º Congresso MPLA nº 65, Luanda
Tel: (+244) 222-397-063; 222-335-046
Email: josinamachel@snet.co.ao 

  • Cremation:

 Angola does not have a dedicated crematory, Recolix is an incineration company, and the only one available in country for cremations. The cremation cost is approximately USD 2000.

  • Caskets and Containers:

Caskets are available locally; they can cost between USD 2500 and USD 8000. U.S. made caskets can sometimes be purchased from the oil companies, they cost approximately USD 5000. Containers can cost between USD 200 and USD 500.

After the embalming, a representative from the consular section witnesses the sealing of the coffin.

  • Exportation of the remains:

To export the remains, the following documents are required:

  1. O Certificado de Óbito (local death certificate)

This document is obtained from the physician who performs the autopsy or, from local police if the person died from an accident or unnatural causes.

  1. O Boletim de Óbito and “Assento de Óbito” (official death report)

To obtain these documents, you must take the certificado de óbito to the vital records office (conservatoria) in the district where the death took place.

  1. A Declaração and A Informação (declaration and information documents)

To obtain these documents you must take the notarized “Certificado de Obito” to the Delegação de Saúde.

  1. O Auto de Imposição de Selo (this document allows the authorities to seal the coffin and ship the remains)

To obtain this document, take all the above documents to the vital records office. When you receive the Auto de Imposição de Selo, return to the health office for notarization.

  1. O Alvará (permission from provisional governor to send the remains overseas)

Finally, bring all the documentation, duly sealed, and notarized to the Provincial Governor for the Alvará to be issued, this document will permit the returning of the remains to the U.S.

All documents above mentioned must be translated into English before the Consular Section attaches a copy of the Report of Death Abroad and a copy of the Mortuary Certificate.

Estimated cost to obtain and translate the above documents USD 700.

  • Shipment:

Estimate freight costs for one coffin, 250 kgs USD 6500:

– To ship remains to New York

– To ship remains to Chicago

– To ship remains to San Francisco/Los Angeles

– Airport taxes and handling

Costs are varying, depending on the cause of death which can make an autopsy and police investigation necessary.

  • Exhumation of remains:

 Exhumations in Angola can only be done after five years of burial.

  • Remarks:

Burial procedures and embalming are very rudimentary in Angola. The remains are normally injected with formaldehyde and then covered with lime before the coffin is sealed.

Estimate cost of burial and embalming USD 1600.

After the embalming, a representative from the consular section witnesses the sealing of the coffin.

Funeral homes in the U.S. most likely will advise next of kin to abstain from viewing.

 

CDC requirements for importing human remains depend upon if the body has been embalmed, cremated, or if the person died from a quarantinable communicable disease.

At this time, COVID-19 is a quarantinable communicable disease in the United States and the remains must meet the standards for importation found in 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71.55 and may be cleared, released, and authorized for entry into the United States only under the following conditions:

  • The remains are cremated; OR
  • The remains are properly embalmed and placed in a hermetically sealed casket; OR
  • The remains are accompanied by a permit issued by the CDC Director. The CDC permit (if applicable) must accompany the human remains at all times during shipment.
    • Permits for the importation of the remains of a person known or suspected to have died from a quarantinable communicable disease may be obtained through the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 or emailing dgmqpolicyoffice@cdc.gov.

Please see CDC’s guidance for additional information.

Footer Disclaimer

This is the official website of the U.S. Embassy in Angola. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

American Flag