Consular assistance
British Embassy contacts for Kenya: when someone dies abroad
If a British national dies in Kenya, the Embassy is usually the first official body to contact. A death must be registered with the local authorities in Kenya 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. The local emergency number is 999 or 112.
Emergency numbers
FCDO 24-hour line (from UK)
+44 (0)20 7008 5000Handling a death in Kenya
Local emergency number: 999 or 112
Documentation language: English and Swahili (both official). Many local languages.. English: Widely spoken in Nairobi, business settings, and tourism industry. Limited in rural areas. Official documentation in English. Safari guides and hotel staff speak English.
Healthcare: Good private healthcare in Nairobi (Nairobi Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital). More basic outside the capital. Safari lodges typically have first aid but limited medical capability. Flying doctor services (AMREF) operate for emergency evacuations from remote areas.
British community: ~30,000-50,000 British residents in Kenya
Most common causes of British deaths here: Natural causes (elderly visitors and residents); Road traffic accidents (Kenyan road safety is poor); Safari-related incidents (wildlife encounters, vehicle accidents on rough terrain); Drowning (Indian Ocean coast, hotel pools); Diving accidents (coast); Crime-related deaths (primarily in Nairobi, Mombasa); Tropical illness (malaria, though rare as primary cause of tourist death)
Areas needing extra care: Nairobi: Crime, road accidents; Masai Mara: Safari vehicle accidents, wildlife encounters; Mombasa and coast: Drowning, crime, diving; Northern Kenya (Samburu, Turkana): Remote, limited medical facilities; Mount Kenya: Altitude sickness, trekking accidents
Always verify numbers before calling
Official lists for Kenya
Published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for British nationals. We are not connected to the firms listed.
- Funeral directors, for arranging local care and preparation
Embassy phone numbers change. Confirm current details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/kenya 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 Kenya
Consulate
Mombasa
Mombasa honorary consul has limited powers.
What you need to know
What the British post in Kenya can and cannot do
The British post covering Kenya 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 Kenya
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 Kenya
What the Embassy can and cannot pay for
Consular staff in Kenya 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 Kenya involvesNeed help bringing someone home from Kenya?
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.