Consular assistance
British Embassy contacts for French Guiana: when someone dies abroad
British Embassy, Paris, France (non-resident) handles cases in French Guiana. A death must be registered with the local authorities in French Guiana 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 5000Handling a death in French Guiana
British representation: British Embassy, Paris, France (non-resident)
Authority that must release the body: Mairie (civil registration); Gendarmerie nationale / Police nationale; French civil law: legally part of France
Documentation language: French
Areas needing extra care: Interior jungle regions: limited infrastructure, significant journey times. Gold-mining areas near Suriname and Brazil borders have security risks.
Legally part of France. French civil law. All documentation in French requires certified translation. Security situation varies in interior jungle regions, Gendarmerie clearance required for non-natural deaths.
Always verify numbers before calling
Embassy phone numbers change. Confirm current details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/french-guiana 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 French Guiana
What you need to know
What the British post in French Guiana can and cannot do
British Embassy, Paris, France (non-resident) 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 French Guiana
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 French Guiana
What the Embassy can and cannot pay for
Consular staff in French Guiana 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 French Guiana involvesNeed help bringing someone home from French Guiana?
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.