Death of a U.S. Citizen

The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations (to include visa, passport, and other routine consular services) on April 22, 2023.

To inform U.S. citizens of options to leave Sudan as security conditions permit, we need to know your information. If you are a U.S. citizen in Sudan, please fill out the following form: https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake (There is no need to submit this information again if you have already submitted information concerning yourself or a U.S. citizen family member to U.S. Embassy Khartoum).

When a U.S. citizen dies in Sudan, the American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy assists the family and friends. We attempt to locate and inform the next-of-kin of the U.S. citizen’s death, and we provide information on how to make arrangements for local burial or return of remains to the United States. The Department of State has no funds to assist in the return of remains or ashes of U.S. citizens who die abroad.

A U.S. consular officer overseas has statutory responsibility for the personal effects of a U.S. citizen who dies abroad if the deceased has no legal representative or next-of-kin in the country where the death occurred, subject to local law. The consular officer prepares an inventory of the personal effects and then carries out instructions from the legal representative or next-of-kin concerning the effects.

The Embassy is responsible for the preparation of a Consular Report of Death Abroad document which will assist the next of kin with legal matters which may arise as a result of the death. For more information on the Consular Report of the Death of Abroad, and other services with which a consular officer can help you when a loved one passes away in Sudan, see the links below.

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.