Funeral repatriation route guide
Repatriation from Togo to the United Arab Emirates
For families bringing someone home to the United Arab Emirates. Send the details any time and we will take it from there.
Key facts
Repatriation from Togo to the United Arab Emirates: what to expect
Togolese nationals in the UAE include traders, workers, and professionals in Dubai's international business environment. Togo and the UAE have diplomatic relations, and Togolese nationals participate in West African trading networks centred on Dubai. French and Ewe documentation from Togo requires certified Arabic translation and authentication by the UAE Embassy for MOHAP clearance. The UAE Embassy in Lome handles consular matters.
- Key document: Acte de deces (death certificate in French, requires certified English translation)
- Documentation takes 7-14 days. Appoint a specialist on day one.
- All French-language documentation requires certified English translation for the United Arab Emirates acceptance.
- Police clearance is required for all violent or suspicious deaths.
The process
What happens after a death in Togo
After a death in Togo, the family should contact the local emergency services on 117 and have the death formally certified. It is then registered with the Centre d'etat civil (Civil Registry), and a local death certificate issued, which usually takes 7-14 days. Where a death is violent, suspicious or unexplained, the Police and Prosecutor takes jurisdiction and may order a post-mortem before the body can be released. Once the paperwork is complete, the body is embalmed, sealed in a zinc-lined coffin, and flown to the United Arab Emirates as air cargo, where a receiving funeral director takes custody. Most cases take 2-4 weeks from the death to arrival in the United Arab Emirates.
Step by step
Timeline: Togo to the United Arab Emirates
Immediate steps after death
Day of death. Contact the embassy or consulate of the person's own country (citizens of the United Arab Emirates: +971 2 495 0000).
Family or travel insurer
Death registered. Acte de deces (death certificate in French, requires certified English translation) obtained.
Death must be registered with the Centre d'etat civil (Civil Registry). Police and Prosecutor may be involved.
Local funeral director and registry
United Arab Emirates Embassy in Lome notified
Simultaneous with Step 1. Embassy provides a list of local funeral directors.
Family or repatriation specialist
Embalming and preparation.
After body released by authorities.
Licensed local funeral director
All export documentation and permits obtained.
Allow 7-14 days. Cannot begin until death certificate issued.
Local funeral director and authorities
Air cargo to the United Arab Emirates
Once all documentation complete. United Arab Emirates cargo terminal
Repatriation specialist and airline cargo
United Arab Emirates funeral director takes custody. The receiving funeral director coordinates with local authorities.
Within 24 hours of arrival.
Receiving funeral director
In United Arab Emirates
When the body arrives in the United Arab Emirates
The UAE funeral director takes custody at Dubai International (DXB), Abu Dhabi International (AUH), or Sharjah International (SHJ) cargo terminal. The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) must grant clearance before burial or cremation. A No Objection Certificate from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) is required. All foreign documents must be authenticated by the UAE Embassy in the country of origin. Documents not in Arabic or English require certified translation. (UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MOFAIC, 2025.)
Consular support
UAE Embassy or Consulate in Lome can advise on documentation requirements for repatriation to the UAE. UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) emergency line: +971 2 495 0000 (24 hours). The UAE Embassy cannot pay for or arrange repatriation.
Related guides
More repatriation guidance
Common questions
FAQs: repatriation from Togo to the United Arab Emirates
In a straightforward case, repatriation from Togo to the United Arab Emirates takes 2-4 weeks. The fastest cases complete in 10-14 days. Complex cases can take 4-8 weeks or longer.
All French-language documentation requires certified translation for acceptance in the United Arab Emirates.
The core documents are: Acte de deces (certified English translation required), Police clearance (for unnatural deaths), Embalming certificate, Export permit, Freedom from infection certificate. Your repatriation coordinator handles obtaining these on your behalf.
The United Arab Emirates Embassy in Lome can assist with document authentication and advise on repatriation requirements. They cannot pay for or arrange repatriation. Contact the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Lome as soon as possible after the death.
Violent, suspicious, or unexplained deaths require a post-mortem, which adds time. The body cannot be released until the authorities authorise it.
The UAE funeral director takes custody at Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH), or Sharjah (SHJ) cargo terminal. MOHAP clearance and a GDRFA No Objection Certificate are required in advance. All foreign documents must be authenticated by the UAE Embassy in the origin country. The receiving funeral director coordinates with local health authorities.
Cremation is not widely available in Togo. Full body repatriation is the standard approach.
We are here to help. Send us the details, any time
If your loved one has died in Togo, please do not face this alone. Send us the details and we will explain what happens next and prepare a quote for bringing them home to the United Arab Emirates.
Reviewed by the Repatriate Service editorial team. Information sourced from official government and embassy guidance and professional repatriation experience. Facts last checked September 2026; page updated .
Sources: Official guidance on a death in Togo (gov.uk) · Togo repatriation guide · Frequently asked questions