Over 200 nationalities live in the United Arab Emirates. Emiratis makes up about 10% of the entire
population; therefore UAE is one of the countries with the highest percentage of expatriates in the
world. Around 28% of expatriates are Indians and 12% are from Pakistan.
Undoubtedly, a death is a terrifying occasion for everyone involved. However, if the person who
dies is not in his own country then it’s a whole another thing. Along with the grief, the family has
to even look into the repatriation of the remains. When an expat dies in UAE, the family of an
expat who passes away in Dubai must follow a series of step, complete the documentation and pay
for plane commute of the body back home to native nation. The rules and regulations related to
repatriation of the dead body are somewhat same for people of different nationalities.
According to a repatriation expert, the typical cost of returning a body from Dubai to the UK is
between Dhr 20,000- 30,000. To Asia it often costs around Dhr 15,000, and to Africa might cost
up to Dhr 35,000.
If someone passes away in Dubai outside of a hospital, a forensic report is needed.
You could require an autopsy and perhaps a toxicology report based on the reason of death. You
must submit the forensics report to the police, who will issue a new certificate. Ministry of Health
then issue a death certificate.
Specific details of the repatriation of the body of an Indian national are discussed under.
There is some fee to be paid by the family of the deceased for bringing back the remains. However
in some circumstances, if the family finds it impossible to pay, the Indian Embassy will cover the
cost of travel by Air India.
The procedure to be followed for Indian expats who have passed away is outlined on the Indian
Embassy’s UAE website.
- An original death certificate and seven copies of it are needed in order to convey the body to
India. - An original and seven copies of the embalming certificate
- A certification for the transit issued by the Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Preventive
Medicine - A document from the sponsor asking that final rites be performed in India so that the body might
be sent there. - The deceased person’s original passport and two copies of the first and last page
- Two copies of the attending person’s passport (first and last page).
- An assisting party must be there while recording and signing up the death registery.
- A document obtained from the deceased person’s sponsor detailing any unpaid debts to the
deceased in the format indicated - Airline confirmation for reservation
- Permission from the deceased person’s relatives allowing the authorized representative receives
the body.
Embassy has stated that its assistance is fully gratuitous (free of charge) and will be offered even
on off days and after business hours.
Families of the person who passed away can get in touch with the “Labour & Welfare Section of
the Embassy”, who will give Air India a letter of recommendation in order to transfer the remains.
The following paperwork is needed if the relatives intend to cremate or bury the deceased locally: - An original death certificate and seven copies of it
- A written request from the next of kin for the remains be sent to their authorized agent for
local burial and written to the Embassy to be received by the Embassy directly - The deceased’s passport and two copies of the first and last page
- Original passport and it’s two copies of the person directed to bury the body’s.