Assistance in the event of a Death of a U.S. Citizen
The American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit can assist family and friends in the event of the death of an American Citizen in Mauritius, Seychelles, and Reunion. The ACS Unit can act as a liaison in arranging the disposition of remains and help with forwarding personal effects if there is no one present to do so on your behalf. The family or legal representative must pay all funeral home charges as well as shipping costs for the remains and personal effects (if applicable).
Even if no assistance is needed in making funeral arrangements, the death of an American citizen, whether resident or tourist, should be reported to the ACS Unit so that a “Consular Report of Death of an American Citizen Abroad” can be issued. This document may be required to settle legal and estate matters in the United States.
This office can issue up to 20 copies of the Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen, which is usually sufficient in number to settle matters in the United States. For more information on this document, please visit the State Department website for “Consular Reports of Death Abroad“.
You may reach ACS for this service, Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., except on Mauritian and American holidays, at the Embassy telephone number: (230) 202-4400 or by email at: PTLconsular@state.gov. If you call after business hours in the event of an emergency, you will be connected to the Duty Officer.
Requirements for returning a deceased person to the United States (COVID-19):
CDC requirements for importing human remains depend upon if the body has been embalmed, cremated, or if the person died from a quarantinable communicable disease.
At this time, COVID-19 is a quarantinable communicable disease in the United States and the remains must meet the standards for importation found in 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part
- and may be cleared, released, and authorized for entry into the United States only under the following conditions:
- The remains are cremated; OR
- The remains are properly embalmed and placed in a hermetically sealed casket; OR
- The remains are accompanied by a permit issued by the CDC Director. The CDC permit (if applicable) must accompany the human remains at all times during
o Permits for the importation of the remains of a person known or suspected to have died from a quarantinable communicable disease may be obtained through the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 oremailing dgmqpolicyoffice@cdc.gov.
Please see CDC’s guidance for additional information.
