Repatriation to West Africa · Documents
Documents Needed to Repatriate Remains to Ghana, Cameroon or Liberia
Last reviewed November 2026
Every country asks for the same core U.S. documents: a certified death certificate, a burial-transit permit, a notarized embalmer's affidavit, a letter stating the deceased had no contagious disease, and the deceased's passport. Each embassy then adds its own permit or travel document, and some need papers from the family back home. The checklists below show what each country requires.
Documents every country asks for
- Certified copy of the U.S. death certificate
- Burial-transit permit from the local registrar where the death occurred
- Notarized embalmer's affidavit or certificate
- Non-contagious (communicable) disease letter from a doctor, medical examiner or health department
- Notarized funeral home letter stating the sealed casket holds only the remains
- The deceased's passport from their home country (or a copy, depending on the country)
Ghana
The Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC handles repatriation for most of the United States. It asks that remains be:
- Embalmed by the U.S. standard method
- Placed in a hermetically sealed casket
- Shipped in an all-wood outer shipping container
Along with the death certificate, the embassy asks for the embalmer's non-contagious affidavit, a non-contagious disease letter from the local health authority and a photocopy of the passport, mailed with a self-addressed, trackable, stamped return envelope.
Embassy of Ghana, 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 · (202) 686-4520
Cameroon
The Embassy of Cameroon issues a Mortuary Travel Document. Applications must come from the funeral home, by mail only, and take about three business days once complete. You'll need:
- Proof of Cameroonian citizenship (passport, birth certificate or national ID; for naturalized U.S. citizens, the U.S. passport or naturalization certificate plus proof of Cameroonian roots)
- Original death certificate
- Transit and burial permit naming the final resting place in Cameroon
- Doctor's letter or affidavit that the remains are free of contagious disease
- Embalming certification from the funeral home, with the body in a sealed casket
- A $181.82 postal money order to "Embassy of Cameroon", with the funeral home and decedent named in the memo
- From Cameroon: a Prefectural Order from the Senior Divisional Officer for the city of entry (Douala or Yaoundé)
- From Cameroon: an authorization to bury from the local authorities where the burial will take place
Send one set of originals and three sets of copies, with two prepaid tracked envelopes. Items 7 and 8 must be obtained by family in Cameroon, so start them right away.
Embassy of Cameroon, Consular Section, 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 · (202) 265-8790
Liberia
Liberia issues a Mortuary Certificate through the Embassy in Washington, DC and the Consulate General in New York. Requirements are similar at both:
- Letter from the funeral home describing the transport arrangements
- Notarized embalmer's affidavit
- Certified burial-transit permit and certified death certificate
- Non-contagious disease letter (and, at the Embassy, a non-contraband letter and a copy of the funeral home's license)
- Liberian passport of the deceased, valid or expired. If the deceased held a U.S. passport, an additional visa fee applies
- Flight information and the receiving funeral home in Liberia
- A sealed, airtight, lined casket
- A $150 processing fee by money order
At the New York Consulate, the embalmer must come in person with their license ID to sign documents. Plan for this when choosing a funeral home.
Shipping to Nigeria?
Nigeria has its own list, including a health waiver from Abuja. See our Nigerian consulate requirements checklist. For the first calls to make and faith requirements, see our full guides for Ghana and Nigeria.
Let us help bring your loved one home
The first call is free. Tell us where your loved one passed and where they will be laid to rest, and we'll explain the steps and give you a written quote.
Questions families ask
Who submits the documents to the embassy?
Usually the funeral home or repatriation coordinator. Cameroon requires the funeral home to apply by mail. The family's main job is to provide the passport and any papers needed from back home.
Does the passport need to be valid?
Not always. Liberia accepts a currently or previously valid passport, and Ghana asks for a photocopy. If the passport can't be found, tell us right away: Nigeria, for example, accepts a notarized affidavit from a relative instead.
What papers must the family get from home?
Cameroon requires a Prefectural Order and an authorization to bury from local authorities. Nigeria requires a repatriation waiver from the Federal Ministry of Health. Start these on the first day, because they often take the longest.
Can cremated remains be sent instead?
Yes. Each embassy has a shorter list for cremated remains, usually the death certificate, a cremation certificate and a sealed container.