Emergency Information
Death of a U.S Citizen Abroad
The American Consulate General in Dubai is ready to assist in the event an American citizen dies in Dubai or in the Northern Emirates.
In all cases, the death of an American citizen, whether resident or tourist in Dubai or the Northern Emirates, should be reported to the Consular Section in Dubai.
The Consular Section has information on the procedures and costs of local burial, cremation, and shipment of remains to the U.S. In the event that a citizen dies unattended, the Consular Section will report the death to the Department of State and the next-of-kin. Upon notification of the family’s wishes, the Consular Section will make the arrangements for the disposition of remains and the forwarding of personal effects. When an American citizen dies abroad, whether attended by family and business associates or alone, the Consular Section assists in the preparation of documents to meet local government requirements either for local burial or for transfer of remains to the United States. All costs are the responsibility of the family. The Consulate does not have funds available to financially assist in the return of remains or other costs associated with funeral arrangements.
Upon completion of all formalities, the Consular Section prepares the “Report of Death of an American Citizen” based upon the local death certificate and the deceased’s passport and provides it to the next-of-kin or legal representative for use in U.S. courts to settle estate matters. This document is an administrative report that provides essential facts concerning the death of the U.S. citizen and the custody of the personal estate of the deceased. The Consulate will provide 10 copies of the Consular Report of Death free of charge to the next-of-kin. For information on obtaining additional copies, please visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs Passport Services website.