What to do if someone dies in Eritrea

Eritrea is one of the world’s most closed states. The government controls all administrative, civil, and legal processes. There is no independent judiciary and no free press. International access to government processes is severely restricted. The British Embassy in Asmara maintains a resident presence but has genuinely limited capacity to influence domestic Eritrean decisions.

Families managing a death in Eritrea should understand two things from the start: the timeline is controlled by Eritrean authorities, not by the Embassy or a specialist firm. And communication about the status of a case will be limited and irregular.

First step

Call the FCDO Emergency Travel Line: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours). Then contact the British Embassy Asmara: +291 1 120004.

Do not travel to Eritrea unless absolutely necessary. FCDO advises against all but essential travel.

Who is affected by this route

The vast majority of repatriation cases from Eritrea involve UK nationals of Eritrean heritage — members of the substantial Eritrean diaspora community in the UK (concentrated in London) who have travelled to visit family. This is the primary use case and the Embassy has experience with it.

Cases involving non-diaspora UK nationals in Eritrea are rare. The country has very limited tourism and a restricted NGO presence.

The administrative process

1. Physician certifies cause of death
2. Regional Administration registers the death and issues the certificate — in Tigrinya script
3. Ministry of Health reviews and begins export permit process
4. National Security clearance (may be required — see below)
5. Ministry of Health issues export permit
6. Funeral director preparation
7. Cargo via Asmara International Airport (ASM)

There is no mechanism to accelerate any of these stages through commercial channels. Communication about case status from Eritrean authorities is irregular.

National Security clearance

Eritrea’s national security apparatus may require a separate clearance before release of remains. This is not always predictable. Factors that may trigger this requirement:

• Dual nationality (Eritrean and British)
• The deceased had previously departed Eritrea without government authorisation (many diaspora members did)
• Death in a location near military or government facilities
• Any association with political activity or opposition

Families should be fully transparent with the FCDO and their specialist firm about the deceased’s background. This allows an accurate risk assessment upfront rather than encountering this requirement mid-process.

National Security clearance, when required, adds unpredictable time — from weeks to months.

Asmara airport and routing

Asmara International Airport (ASM) has very limited scheduled international service. Current routes include Cairo (EgyptAir) and Jeddah (Eritrean Airlines). Ethiopian Airlines service has been inconsistent since the 2018-2022 conflict period.

Cargo routing: Asmara → Cairo or Dubai → London. Limited departure frequency means cargo holding at ASM may add days between documentation clearance and actual departure.

What to tell families

The timeline for repatriation from Eritrea is not within anyone’s control except the Eritrean government. The realistic range is 28 to 90 days. Cases requiring National Security clearance may run longer.

Families should not make UK funeral arrangements until the export permit is confirmed. The temptation to book provisional arrangements is understandable but creates pressure that cannot be met.

Document checklist

What to do first

FCDO: 020 7008 5000. British Embassy Asmara: +291 1 120004.

Engage a specialist firm with confirmed East African and diaspora repatriation experience. The firm’s primary value in Eritrea cases is accurate documentation management and maintaining communication channels with the Embassy over an extended timeline.

Sources: UK FCDO Eritrea travel advice (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/eritrea, updated 2024); British Embassy Asmara; UK Home Office Country Policy and Information — Eritrea.