What to do if someone dies in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo divides immediately into two completely different situations. A death in Kinshasa is a difficult but manageable repatriation with established procedures. A death in eastern DRC — North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri — may not be achievable as a repatriation at all.

The first step is always the same. The second step depends entirely on where in the country the death occurred.

First step

Call the FCDO Emergency Travel Line: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours). Then contact the British Embassy Kinshasa: +243 81 555 8900.

The FCDO will advise on current consular capacity for the specific area. For eastern DRC deaths, the Embassy will give a frank assessment of what is currently possible. Do not travel to eastern DRC.

Where is the death?

This question determines everything. Ask it immediately.

Kinshasa: Achievable. Established process. Expect 21 to 42 days.

Accessible western DRC or provincial capitals: Likely achievable with more complexity and time. Expect 30 to 60 days.

North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri: Active conflict zones. Repatriation may not be currently possible. FCDO advises against all travel to these areas.

Areas near DRC-Rwanda and DRC-Uganda borders: High-risk. Assess current conditions before making any plans.

The Kinshasa process

For deaths in Kinshasa:

1. Police Nationale Congolaise attends non-natural deaths — do not move the body before police attendance
2. Institut National Médico-Légal (INML) examination — required for non-natural deaths. INML has limited capacity; expect 7 to 21 days for this stage
3. Parquet (state prosecutor) clearance — confirms no criminal prosecution pending
4. Civil Registry issues the death certificate
5. Ministry of Health issues the export permit
6. Funeral director preparation and cargo via Ndjili Airport (FIH)

The INML is the most consistent source of delay. Kinshasa’s INML serves a city of 15 million with limited staffing and equipment. There is no reliable mechanism for priority processing.

Eastern DRC: what families need to hear

The conflict in eastern DRC is not a recent event. Armed groups have operated in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri for over 25 years. Current conditions as of 2024-2025 involve active M23 operations in North Kivu, including Goma.

For bodies in active conflict areas:

• Body recovery by civilian operators is not currently possible in combat areas
• A very small number of specialist crisis firms have DRC contacts and may be able to assess access from Goma or border areas
• FCDO will advise on the current situation and any aid or military assets available
• Families must be prepared for the possibility that repatriation is not currently achievable

The priority in these cases, if access is established, is identification, preservation, and secure holding while conditions are assessed.

Document checklist (Kinshasa process)

Routing from Kinshasa

Ndjili International Airport (FIH) connects to:

• Brussels via Brussels Airlines (most reliable route for UK cargo)
• Addis Ababa via Ethiopian Airlines
• Nairobi via Kenya Airways

Brussels Airline is the standard DRC-UK cargo pathway and the most experienced carrier for this route.

What to do first

FCDO: 020 7008 5000. British Embassy Kinshasa: +243 81 555 8900.

For Kinshasa cases, engage a specialist firm with confirmed Central African experience and French-language documentation capability. For eastern DRC cases, prioritise the FCDO assessment before committing to any plan.

Sources: UK FCDO Democratic Republic of Congo travel advice (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/democratic-republic-of-congo, updated 2024); British Embassy Kinshasa; UN MONUSCO DRC situation reports 2024.