# Repatriation to Somalia or Somaliland from the UK: documents, steps and timings

> To repatriate a body to Somalia or Somaliland from the UK, register the death and get the coroner's permission. No official list of arrival requirements is published, so contact the Somali Embassy in London and use an experienced Muslim funeral director. At the time of writing, the FCDO advises against all or all but essential travel throughout Somalia.

Source: https://funeralfinder.org/uk/guides/repatriation-to-somalia/ — updated 2026-09-25 — FuneralFinder

Some Somali families in the UK wish to bury a loved one in Somalia or Somaliland, near relatives. It can be arranged, but there's little official guidance, travel is difficult and repatriation adds time to a Muslim burial. Many families decide on a UK burial instead. This guide sets out what is confirmed, what to check and the alternatives.

**Key points**

- **Register the death** and get the **coroner's permission** before the person leaves the UK.
- There's **no official published list** of Somali arrival requirements. Contact the **Somali Embassy** or, for Somaliland, the **Somaliland mission** in London.
- At the time of writing, the **FCDO advises against all or all but essential travel** to every part of Somalia, including Somaliland.
- Flights involve a **connection**, and whether the airline accepts remains as cargo must be checked.
- Islamic practice favours **quick burial**, and **many families bury in the UK**.
- The **Funeral Expenses Payment usually can't be used** for a funeral in Somalia.

## The UK side: permission to move the person

Register the death first: within five days of the medical examiner's office confirming it can be registered (England and Wales), eight days (Scotland) or five days (Northern Ireland). Ask for urgent help with registration if needed.

| Where the person died | What's needed before they can leave |
|---|---|
| **England and Wales** | The coroner's permission, whether or not the death was reported to a coroner. The funeral director gives notice of intention to remove the body (often called "Form 104") with the green form or the coroner's order, at least **four clear days** before the move. The coroner can release sooner, so ask for urgency. |
| **Scotland** | Register in Scotland (Form 14). GOV.UK points to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and your funeral director will confirm whether a fiscal certificate is needed. |
| **Northern Ireland** | The coroner issues a certificate allowing removal, usually to the funeral director, once satisfied about the cause of death. |

## Somalia and Somaliland: who to contact

| | Somalia | Somaliland |
|---|---|---|
| **In London** | Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Unit 10-12, Exhibition House, Addison Bridge Place, London W14 8XP. Tel 020 7258 7493, londonembassy@mfa.gov.so | Somaliland mission, 43-45 East Smithfield, London E1W 1AP. Authenticates documents, including death certificates. Not a recognised diplomatic mission. |
| **Published repatriation procedure** | None found | None found |
| **UK consular help locally** | Via the British High Commission in Nairobi | Via the British Embassy in Addis Ababa |

### Documents

We couldn't find an official list of what Somalia or Somaliland requires. Some UK funeral directors say families may need:

- an **embalming certificate**
- a **free-from-infection certificate**
- a **sealed coffin certificate**
- a **death certificate authenticated** by the embassy or mission.

Treat this as a starting point only. **Check with the embassy or mission and your funeral director** before booking anything.

## FCDO travel advice

**At the time of writing** (advice updated 4 June 2026), the FCDO advises **against all travel** to Somalia, including Somaliland, except the **Awdal, Maroodijeh and Sahil** regions, where it advises against **all but essential travel**. Hargeisa is in Maroodijeh. Consular support is **severely limited**. This affects relatives travelling with the body and may affect travel insurance. Always read the latest advice before booking.

## Flights and timing

Routes from the UK involve a connection, for example Turkish Airlines via Istanbul to Mogadishu, or Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa to Hargeisa or Mogadishu. Whether an airline will accept human remains as cargo on a given route isn't published, so your funeral director must confirm it.

Time is taken by registration, the coroner's notice period (up to four clear days in England and Wales unless released sooner), the embassy or mission paperwork, and finding a route.

## Faith considerations: an urgent Muslim burial

Islamic practice favours washing (ghusl), shrouding and burial as soon as possible.

- Tell the **hospital, medical examiner's office and coroner's office** straight away that this is an urgent faith burial.
- If embalming is required, discuss it with your imam, as many Muslim families prefer to avoid it.
- The **janazah prayer** can be held at a UK mosque before the flight.

Cremation isn't an option in Islam.

## Costs

Repatriation to Somalia or Somaliland is likely to cost far more than a UK burial: the funeral director's care and paperwork, embalming if required, a sealed coffin, air cargo on a connecting route, authentication, relatives' flights and burial costs there. Get itemised written quotes.

The GOV.UK **Funeral Expenses Payment** needs the funeral to be in the UK, the EEA or Switzerland, so it usually can't be used. In Northern Ireland the funeral must usually be in the UK, and Scotland's Funeral Support Payment covers a funeral abroad only in some circumstances. Relatives and the wider community often help with costs, a tradition sometimes called **qaaraan**, and some mosques run burial funds.

## Alternatives

**Burial in the UK** is the choice many Somali families make. It can usually happen far sooner, many cemeteries have Muslim sections, and relatives can visit the grave. Family abroad can hold prayers and receive condolences at home. Search our [cemeteries directory](/uk/cemeteries/).

## Where to get help

- Our [repatriation guide](/uk/guides/repatriation/) and [Somali funerals in the UK](/uk/guides/somali-funerals-in-the-uk/).
- [Muslim funeral directors](/uk/muslim-funeral-directors/) or [funeral directors near you](/uk/funeral-directors-near-me/).
- Our guide to [Muslim funerals](/faiths/muslim/).
- See also [repatriation to Turkey](/uk/guides/repatriation-to-turkey/) and [Pakistan](/uk/guides/repatriation-to-pakistan/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What documents does Somalia require to receive a body?

We could not find an official list. Some UK funeral directors say an embalming certificate, a free-from-infection certificate, a sealed coffin certificate and an embassy-authenticated death certificate may be needed. Check with the Somali Embassy in London and your funeral director before making plans.

### Who do we contact for Somaliland?

The Somaliland mission in London, at 43-45 East Smithfield, London E1W 1AP, authenticates documents including death certificates. It is not a recognised diplomatic mission and has no published repatriation procedure, so ask your funeral director how it works in practice.

### Is it safe for relatives to travel with the body?

At the time of writing, the FCDO advises against all travel to Somalia, including Somaliland, except the Awdal, Maroodijeh and Sahil regions, where it advises against all but essential travel. Consular support is severely limited. Read the latest FCDO advice and check your travel insurance before booking.

### Are there direct flights?

Not that we found. Routes from the UK involve a connection, for example via Istanbul or Addis Ababa. Whether an airline will carry human remains as cargo on a particular route needs to be confirmed by your funeral director.

### Why do many Somali families bury in the UK?

Islamic practice favours quick burial, repatriation adds days and cost, and travel to Somalia is difficult. Our [Somali funerals in the UK](/uk/guides/somali-funerals-in-the-uk/) guide explains UK burial customs.

## Sources

- [GOV.UK – Arrange the funeral (moving a body for a funeral abroad)](https://www.gov.uk/after-a-death/arrange-the-funeral)
- [legislation.gov.uk – Removal of Bodies Regulations 1954](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1954/448/made)
- [legislation.gov.uk – Coroners Act (Northern Ireland) 1959, section 25](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1959/15/section/25)
- [Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service – Contact](https://www.copfs.gov.uk/contact/)
- [GOV.UK – Foreign travel advice: Somalia](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/somalia)
- [GOV.UK – London Diplomatic List (foreign embassies in the UK)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk)
- [Somaliland Mission UK](https://somalilandukmission.com/)
- [GOV.UK – Funeral Expenses Payment eligibility](https://www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility)
- [mygov.scot – Funeral Support Payment: who can apply](https://www.mygov.scot/funeral-support-payment/who-can-apply-and-when)
- [nidirect – Funeral Expenses Payment](https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/funeral-expenses-payment)