Emergency Services
Death of a U.S. Citizen in the Dominican Republic
The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy can be of valuable service and assistance when a loved one dies in the Dominican Republic. We hope that the following information will aid the family members of deceased Americans in understanding how the process works and what we can do to help at this difficult and emotional time:
General: When the Consular Section learns that an American citizen has died in the Dominican Republic and no family members are present, the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit immediately attempts to notify the family. (If family members are present and learn of the death before we do, they should contact us as soon as possible at (809) 221-2171. Whether or not family members are present, the Consular Section can assist in making arrangements for the disposition of the remains, based on the wishes of the next-of-kin. It is important to remember, however, that no U.S. government funds are available to cover or defray any of the expenses involved. We also issue a Consular Report of Death Abroad, which is an official document that can be used to settle all legal matters relating to the deceased's estate and insurance. The completed Report of Death is official and acceptable in any U.S. jurisdiction.
If the deceased was receiving Federal Benefits from the U.S. Government such as Social Security or Veterans' benefits, the next-of-kin should also be in touch with the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) at the number provided above. More information about completing Social Security formalities is available at: http://www.ssa.gov/.
What Happens First? One of the most important and first decisions the family needs to make is whether to bury their loved one locally or have the remains returned to the United States. If the family opts for local burial, the funeral home here will arrange the service and burial according to the family's wishes. If, on the other hand, the family prefers to send the remains to the United States, they should be aware that costs for preparing and returning a body to the U.S. may be high and must be paid by the family. Dominican law requires that autopsies be performed prior to shipment-of-remains in all cases of accidental or sudden death.
Required Documents. In order to prepare a Consular Report of Death Abroad, the Consular Section needs the original local death certificate as well as documentation of the person's identity and U.S. citizenship (e.g., the U.S. passport or the U.S. birth certificate when a passport is not available). Also, the next-of-kin needs to fill out a form provided by our office.
How Long Does this Process Take? Ideally, local burial can take place within 48 hours after the death. Arranging shipment of remains to the U.S. generally takes from 2 to 5 days. Many factors can contribute to delays in shipment, however, including if the death took place on a weekend when government offices were closed or if relatives cannot be contacted. The need for an autopsy can delay issuance of the Report of Death by a month or more; however, this will not usually delay shipment of the remains. Next-of-kin can pick up the completed Report of Death from our office or we can send it to them via regular mail or courier.
Embalming: Elaborate embalming in compliance with U.S. standards is available in the Dominican Republic, but is performed by only a small number of certified morticians in Santo Domingo.
Cremation: Cremation was not preformed in the Dominican Republic until April 2003, when one Santo Domingo funeral home started to practice this procedure.
Exportation of Remains: Returning a body to the U.S. is a complex and expensive process. The family should provide the local funeral home with the name and telephone number of the funeral home in the U.S. where the remains are to be received, whereupon the two funeral homes will coordinate the rest of the process. All the documents and permits required to ship bodies are usually obtained and prepared by the local funeral home. The family of the deceased is responsible for all costs associated with this process.
Exhumation and Shipment: Under Dominican law, exhumation of interred remains is permitted after at least five years have passed. However, the Attorney General may, under certain circumstances, grant exemptions to this restriction. Exhumed remains may be exported to the U.S. or other countries following the same procedures outlined above.
(Last updated: November 2004)