Consular assistance

British Embassy contacts for Chad: when someone dies abroad

Non-resident, British Embassy Yaoundé, Cameroon handles cases in Chad. A death must be registered with the local authorities in Chad before a body or ashes can leave the country. Consular staff will register the death with UK authorities, issue consular documents and give you a list of local funeral directors. They cannot meet any cost, arrange the repatriation, or authorise release of the body. If the person who died was not British, contact the embassy or consulate of their own country instead.

Emergency numbers

FCDO 24-hour line (from UK)

+44 (0)20 7008 5000

Handling a death in Chad

British representation: Non-resident, British Embassy Yaoundé, Cameroon

Authority that must release the body: Police Nationale Tchadienne, Tribunal correctionnel, Ministry of Public Health

Documentation language: French; Arabic

Areas needing extra care: Northern Chad (Tibesti, Borkou, FCDO against all travel); Eastern Chad (border with Sudan: armed conflict spillover); Southern border regions (CAR border); Lake Chad region (Boko Haram/ISWAP activity)

Chad is one of the world's most fragile states. Transitional Military Council (CMT) under Mahamat Idriss Déby controls government since April 2021. FCDO advises against all travel to northern, eastern, and southern border regions. Conflict with armed groups ongoing. Non-resident Embassy via Yaoundé.

Always verify numbers before calling

Official lists for Chad

Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.

  • Lawyers, where an estate or an investigation needs local legal advice

Embassy phone numbers change. Confirm current details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/chad before a trip. The FCDO 24-hour line (+44 (0)20 7008 5000) is the most reliable point of contact in an emergency.

Contact details

British Embassy and consulates in Chad

What you need to know

What the British post in Chad can and cannot do

Non-resident, British Embassy Yaoundé, Cameroon is the post that registers the death and can give you a list of local funeral directors. It cannot pay any repatriation cost, arrange the repatriation itself, release the body, or shorten a local timeline.

The full list of what consular staff can and cannot do applies in every country.

Death registration in Chad

The Embassy can register the death separately under UK law. This is optional and does not replace the local certificate, but some families find the UK death certificate useful for administrative purposes.

Typical timeline from Chad

What the Embassy can and cannot pay for

Consular staff in Chad cannot pay repatriation costs, funeral director fees, or any local charges, and cannot lend money to cover them.

They can give you a list of local funeral directors, contact next of kin, and help you reach an insurer. If there is no insurance and no family funds, they can explain what limited options exist.

What repatriation from Chad involves

Need help bringing someone home from Chad?

We can take over the arrangements from wherever you are in the process, and bring your loved one home to the UK, Ireland or any other country. Send us the details and we will come back to you with a quote.

We respond by email within one hour, 24/7.

No obligation. Your details are kept confidential.